Metal Goes Mental
by KamikazeZuu
Summary: In a world similar to Amestris, Edward Thomas Elric is known throught Eritth as the Solidsteel Magician. With a desolate past that has come to haunt him, Edward recieves word that his mother might still be alive...
1. Chapter 1: The Weight Part A

**Metal Goes Mental**

**Chapter 1: "The Weight of Steel and Guilt"**

**_Some of us are given steel wings in which to fly..._**

**Edward Thomas. That was the name he was given.**

**Solidsteel. That was the name he was given.**

**Between these words that meant nothing, there was only one thing that truly meant something.**

**Elric. His last name. The last name of his father. Of his brother. Of his family.**

**The last name of Trisha Elric, his mother.**

**Edward glanced down at the grave. It had been so long since he remembered his mother's death. Her funeral was a mere fog in his mind, a memory not really a memory.**

**He put the roses he had in his hand down. He could hear the clink of metal against rock as his hand touched the gravel that was tombstone. He winced as a shock of pain ran from his right shoulder. He grunted and reached over to his arm, pulling down his shirt to see.**

**A prosthetic limb shone brightly as the solid alloy caught the sun's rays. He could see a screw almost pulled out of the hole. He reached over, tightening the limb.**

**His curse, and also his gift. He saw nothing good about it. It was a reminder. A reminder of what couldn't have been...**

**"Ed? You out here?" a voice called out. Edward rose, to see a boy a year younger than him.**

**Alphonse Brent Elric walked up to Edward, his light brown hair swaying in the wind. He wore a blue shirt, and brown dress pants too. He had white gloves on, two black circles stitched into the palm of the gloves.**

**"Hey," Ed said solemnly, looking back at the grave. Al said nothing as he joined his brother at the grave.**

**"It's all my fault," Ed whispered.**

**"Don't go with that again brother," Al said, "there was nothing you could have done." Edward's hands clenched.**

**"No..." Ed said through grit teeth, "if I was stronger... if I was better... I could have brought her back!" Ed stormed away, Alphonse following him.**

**"Ed, you know human transmutation is impossible," Alphonse said, "there is absolutely nothing – " **

**"Shut up Al!" Ed said. He turned around, his right fist shaking at his brother.**

**"Just because you've given up trying doesn't mean that I have!" Ed shouted. Al stopped, gazing at his brother. He'd heard this speech for years. Ever since their mother died. Ever since Ed tried...**

**"Ed, you know that it's impossible to bring the dead back," Alphonse stated quietly, "Life flows in one direction – I thought you learned that from your arm and leg." Ed stiffened, appalled that his younger brother would bring that up in their conversation. **

**Just because he didn't try, Ed thought, he is saying this. Just because he got away from this unscathed, is he saying such words.**

**"Only because you're fine," Ed said, "can you tell me this. Just because you're not lugging around pounds of steel as a substitute for your flesh and blood you dare tell me that, now, of all times." Ed grimaced, clenching both his hands.**

**"You think I got away unhurt?" Alphonse said incredulously. "Brother, do you know what I went through? I was just a kid!"**

**"We were both just kids!" Edward retorted.**

**"You didn't have nightmares in the middle of the night," Al continued, "you didn't scream in terror, unable to turn to mother because she wasn't there! You weren't depressed, you didn't have doctors prescribe drugs to you to make you feel better, you didn't have to go to psychiatrists for years to make sure you were fine!" Ed stayed silent. Al was right. He didn't go through all the things he had. But still...**

**"You're not a slave to a higher power," Ed said, "you're still in control of you life, Alphonse. I'm completely at the mercy of others. Do you know why?"**

**Al shook his head, even though he knew what his brother was about to say.**

**"Because I'm still holding on. I'll always hold on," Ed said, walking off.**

**He smoldered silently as he walked through his home of Resin Pool. The streets were almost empty. This quiet town hardly had anything exciting going on. Except for that one day, almost four years ago. A day Edward Thomas Elric remembered all too well...**

**Edward stepped off the curb, running into someone. He shook his head, looking up at the person he collided with.**

**A tall dark man stared down at him, his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. He said nothing, his mouth a grim slash. Edward stared back with the same look of disgruntlement, and walked off. The man stared at him for a while, before walking off in his yellow jacket.**

**"Edward!" someone called out. Ed turned to see a woman walk up to him, a broken toy in her hands. A bawling little girl was at her heels, clutching her mother's dress.**

**"Oh, thank goodness I found you," she said breathless, "Lyser is useless when it comes to these things, and he's an investigator for crying out loud."**

**"Grace," Edward said, "what's wrong?" She held the broken toy out to him.**

**"Some good for nothing hoodlum broke Elizabeth's toy," she said, "do you think you can fix it?" Ed looked at the shattered thing in her palm, and sighed.**

**"Al's a lot better at this kind of stuff," he said, "but I'll give it a shot." He took the pieces, putting them on the ground. He crouched, and put his hands together.**

**An electrical clap echoed in the street, a flash of blue light blinding Grace and Elizabeth. Edward disappeared behind the blue flash of light, reappearing as it subsided.**

**On the floor the toy was mended, cooling off as steam came off it. Ed let it sit for a while before picking it up.**

**"Thanks," Grace said gratefully, handing her daughter her fixed toy. Elizabeth smiled, going back to playing with it.**

**"I have other news too," Grace said, becoming a tad more serious. Ed shook his jacket, throwing back his braided hair.**

**"Yeah? What's that?" he asked. **

**"Lyser wanted me to tell you about a new man in town," she said, "he's supposed to be dangerous. A real killer." Ed rolled his eyes.**

**"Why does he want me to know this? I'm not a police guy," he said, walking past her.**

**"They say he uses alchemy," Grace said quickly.**

**Edward's footfalls stopped. He blinked, turning back to her.**

**"...alchemy?" he asked. She nodded.**

**"Mustang's been called in. He sent in an order for you, too," Grace said. Edward crossed his arms.**

**"And what does the punk want this time?" he asked agitated.**

**"You're to report to him in Command," she said, "and be ready to get your hands dirty." Edward said nothing, clenching his hands. He could hear the sound of steel on steel.**

**The sound of gritting will.**

**Part A – End **

**Author's Note:**

**Hey, Ashes2Steel here. How you doing? This is a second fanfic I'm writing. Here's the bad news: it's interrupting my Chrono Crusade Fanfic. Plus, since this is a weird fanfic – you can tell just the way I've introduced the characters. It's not your everyday Ed and Al adventure in Amestris. I'll explain as I go along – it might make sense, I'm not so sure. But anyways, each Part of the chapter will be divided, since I can't keep up with two stories. I also want to see what you all think. Do you like it, or am I wasting my time? Help me decide, please!**


	2. Chapter 1: The Weight Part B

**Chapter 1: "The Weight of Steel and Guilt"**

**Part B - Start**

**"Solidsteel," Roy said smirking, "you finally made it." Edward frowned.**

**"Don't get the wrong idea here," he said heatedly, walking up to the military man, "I'm not doing it to keep you happy. It's because Grace is worried that I'm here."**

**"Same here," Lyser Hughes said, raising his hand. Roy shot him a look, and then went back to his position staring down the street. It was sealed off with military vehicles, men with guns patrolling the streets.**

**"So what exactly are you looking for?" Ed said. Roy crossed his arms, scanning the scene.**

**"A serial killer's on the loose," Roy said, "and from the looks of it, knows alchemy pretty well." **

**"How so?" Ed asked. Roy shifted his weight, revealing a white glove, a red circle stitched into the fabric.**

**"He's got a specific signature," he continued, "He uses alchemy to deconstruct his victims." Ed started. Deconstruct?**

**"He deconstructs them?" Ed cried out.**

**"Yes," Roy said, "he stops his alchemy in the first stage. Unfortunate for our victims." **

**"Like who?" Ed asked. Roy pulled out a paper, rattling off names.**

**"Basque Grand, the Iron Veined Sorcerer... Sean Tucker, the Life Judge Magician..." Roy looked down the list, "and several other civilians associated to their families. We're to assume he's concentrating on all Federal Alchemists. You and I as well."**

**Edward stared at Roy as he pulled a page from his pocket. He threw it to Ed, who caught it and read the crumpled note.**

**"Alchemists who stray from the path... who fall from the lead of God... will perish..." the note read, and a list of Federal Alchemists were scribbled on the bottom. At the top were the names the "Inferno Sorcerer" and the "Solidsteel Magician."**

**"Great. Just what I needed. A target painted on my back," Edward muttered. "Do you even know what this guy looks like?" **

**"Yes we do, actually," Lyser said, joining into their conversation after being left out. He pulled a photo from a folder he was carrying, a snapshot from a security camera in the home of Basque Grande. **

**It showed a dark tan man, his expression hidden beneath his sunglasses. He had large hands, which were soaked with blood, and wore a yellow jacket atop a black shirt.**

**Edward froze. That man... he was...**

**"He's not here," Ed said suddenly. Roy perked up.**

**"What?" he asked.**

**"This man. He's back home," Ed said, turning to Roy. "He's in Resin Pool." Roy looked skeptical.**

**"Are you sure?" he asked with a tone that mad Ed twitch.**

**"Yes, damn it!" Ed roared, "I saw him this morning! He was walking down the street headed for-" Ed stopped as realization hit him.**

**"My... home..." he whispered, remembering which direction the man was headed. "He's going after Al!" He ran off, leaving Roy to follow him, Lyser phoning the rest of the men with his comlink.**

**Alphonse sighed as he sat down at the table. Sarah pulled her bright blonde hair back, looking at him with an expression of concern.**

**"Did he go off again?" she asked. Al nodded.**

**"Yeah. I try, but he never changes his mind about this," Al said tiredly. He clapped his hands, and touched a fruit from the top of a bowl on the table.**

**A buzz of electricity and a flash of blue light filled the room, Al pulling his hands back. An apple on the top of the pile rolled off, parting into five perfectly sized pieces. He handed one to Sarah Rockworth, who received it.**

**"I guess. I just wished he'd let us help, or open up a bit," she said softly. She popped the apple into her mouth, as Al split up an orange. She noticed him hungrily down the food.**

**"Why don't you cook something?" she asked. Al looked up.**

**"Cook?" he asked confused. Sarah smiled, and laughed.**

**"Oh yeah. You alchemist types – you don't know a thing about making food," she said laughing. She rose, heading to the kitchen. Al was good at repairing her wrenches and welding the parts together, but wasn't that great at making a home cooked meal.**

**Al watched Sarah walk into the kitchen, the audible sounds of pans and pots clanking in the room. He slumped in his chair as his stomach growled. He was hungry. Ed hadn't gone to the store to buy anything at all. They were completely out.**

**That, and his paycheck hadn't come in. They were living on charity from Aunt Pricilla and Sarah, while Al waited for _his_ paycheck from work to come in. It was a while. He expected a weekly pay. He didn't read the fine print, and realize that he'd be paid in a lump sum after working for about three months.**

**He had worked for only half of one. **

**A knock came to the door. Al perked up. A customer for Sarah? He didn't know anyone around that needed a mechanic, other than his brother of course. He went to the door, expecting a guy with a broken limb to be standing at the door.**

**A tall man stood in the doorway. His shadow completely engulfed Al. Alphonse looked up and down. He was fine. So why was he here?**

**"Elric?" the man asked. Alphonse nodded. The man grimaced.**

**"Here's the payment due to God," he said, lifting his arm.**

**Sarah hit the floor as the whole house shook, a flash of light and Al's scream coming from the other room. She stared in horror as a tall man walked into the kitchen, his hands bloody, his eyes filled with the same dark crimson.**

**The crimson of death.**

**Part B – End**

**Author's Note:**

**So how do you think it's coming along? We've met Corona! That guy with red eyes. I'm pretty sure you all have got the gist of what this story is about. Yeah, it's lame right now, but that's because I haven't gotten to the main twist! If you like it, or if you honestly think I should stop this trash and finish my darn old Chrono Crusade instead, tell me. I'm extremely open on this story, because I don't even know what I'm doing. KthnxBye!**


	3. Chapter 1: The Weight Part C

**Chapter 1: "The Weight of Steel and Guilt"**

**Part C – Start**

**Edward swore as he ran off the train into Resin Pool. Damn it! He knew being a Federal Alchemist, a slave to the system, a dog to bite on command would give him heat from others. He just never expected something like this!**

**Alphonse was in danger, he knew that much. After all, they were both experienced alchemists, and also, shared the same name.**

**Elric.**

**His last name.**

**The name of his father.**

**The name of his brother.**

**The name of his mother.**

**Ed skidded to a stop in front of a small building. It was colored green on the outside, the "For Rent" sign taken down long ago when he and his brother took up the offer. He banged inside, almost knocking the brittle door off his hinges. Not that it would have mattered. A simple clap of his hands, and he could restore it, good as it was before.**

**But that wasn't what he was concentrating on. He yelled his brother's name over and over, climbing the stairs up to their workshop. He opened the door, gazing inside.**

**Circles drawn on large sheets of paper littered the floor, results of their research on alchemy. He threw towers of books over, scrambling over scratchy notes, desperately looking for his second to only kin in this room.**

**Alphonse wasn't there.**

**Ed cursed, and ran out. There was only one other place he'd go. The thing that bugged him now was that he wasted so much time looking for him here, chances were, that he'd be too late by the time he got there.**

**Aunt Pricilla. If anyplace was as warm and comforting as the home they had lost years ago to fire was, it would be Aunt Pricilla's house. Sarah would greet them with open arms... or at least greet Al like that. She'd clock him on the head with a wrench, screaming about how he'd gotten a new scratch on his prosthetic arm, or even worse, how he'd manage to totally deconstruct it. Those memories brought tears every time he recalled them.**

**Hopefully, those would be the only memories that would bring tears. He didn't need to walk in and find the three people he cared about lying dead in a pool of blood on the floor when he arrived.**

**Sarah pushed herself into a small corner, away from the intruder. He didn't see her, she knew that since he walked away from where she was, instead of coming after her. He placed a bloody hand on another table, leaving a gruesome imprint.**

**Sarah swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat. Al was hurt. Worse, he was dead. She tried to bat those fears away, but the fact was that she heard him scream out, just as an alchemic reaction took place in the room next to the kitchen. The blood only testified that something had happened to one of her closest friends.**

**The man clenched his hand, inspecting the room. She wasn't sure what he wanted, or why she was after Al... but she couldn't let him just walk in and take over her home! It wasn't even hers, it was her grandmother's. **

**She pulled out her trusty screwdriver, and lunged at the man, screaming out her lungs. She had the element of surprise and a weapon. She was bound to win... right?**

**The screwdriver pierced through the jacket, but didn't touch the man's body. He turned suddenly in surprise, glaring at Sarah from the corner of his eye. He clamped a single massive hand on the screwdriver, and frowned.**

**Sarah pulled her hand back as blue lightning engulfed the tool, shocks running up her hand. They hurt so bad, she thought, clutching her hand as the alchemic reaction nearly engulfed her too. She stared in flat horror as the screwdriver turned into a useless pile of scrap metal and pieces, rolling on the floor. The man put his hand down, glaring at her.**

**"Are you an Elric?" he asked in a deep voice, filled with hate. She shook her head, too afraid to speak. He advanced on her, the hand that had deconstructed the screwdriver reaching over to her head.**

**He placed his hand on her head, his fingers enveloped in her bright yellow hair.**

**The house shook for a second time, Sarah closing her eyes for the inevitable. She opened them when she heard a loud yell, and another ear-busting Tarzan scream proceeding it. **

**The man was pushed away, the earth raised in jagged spikes, as though it had ran into him. He got up, his hand clenching a spike, a bit of blood trickling down a cut that was on his forehead. **

**"If you're looking for an Elric, you're looking for me!" a voice said. **

**A man short for his age walked through, his face contorted in anger. His hands were crackling with alchemic energy, the aftereffects subsiding. He tossed his brown coat off, revealing a white shirt with suspenders. He threw his ponytail of golden hair back, clapping his hands.**

**He touched them to the ground, a crackle of energy racing toward the man. It encircled him, and a second later, the earth rose about him, trapping him in a cage. **

**"I'm the guy you're looking for," Edward said, "I'm the Solidsteel Magician."**

**The man said nothing. He wiped his wound, then glared at him through blood red eyes. His black hair was laced with silver, a few of the gray hairs perking over his forehead. He put his sunglasses into his breast pocket, before uttering some words.**

**"Solidsteel... Eric..." he whispered.**

**"Yeah, that's me," Ed said, "Now tell me." He clapped his hands again, charged for another alchemic attack.**

**"What's with this genocide? This extermination?" Ed questioned. The man grew angrier as he stared at Ed.**

**"Because, it was you Federal Alchemist who killed us," he said, "you all have no souls, you kill without question and in the most despicable of ways." Ed flinched.**

**"Alchemist are not cold blooded murderers!" Ed roared. The man had hit a nerve, and he wouldn't give him any mercy at all. **

**"Let me prove it to you," the man said. He then touched a bar of the earthen cage, and clenched his hand over it.**

**The cage burst into dust, the man rushing forward with such speed that it took Ed by surprise. By the time he reacted, it was too late.**

**The man had clenched his hand over his arm.**

**Ed screamed as shrapnel exploded around them, the man falling back as slivers of metal punched through his skin. He recoiled in shock, watching Ed as he fell crouched to the ground gasping. He clutched his arm, when nails and bolts fell out from his sleeve.**

**"Your arm," he whispered, "it's not real." **

**"What a brilliant deduction," Ed said heatedly. He tore his shirt off, to reveal a shoulder plate of steel nailed to his right chest, scars that reached over his torso reaching over his body. **

**"Mecha-bodies," the man said, "made of pure metallic alloys. So that's it."**

**"The Solidsteel Magician."**

**Ed grimaced. He was nearly useless without his arm. His nerves connected to his arm felt as though they were on fire, despite the fact that he hadn't had an arm in years. They were all bunched to his mecha-body arm, which enabled him to move the mechanical limb. But that wasn't what worried him.**

**His key strength was the ability to simply clap his hands to make a circle, and instantly transmute. Whatever strength this other man had to perform alchemy on the spot he didn't know, but he knew this.**

**He was close to defenseless.**

**Ed quickly pulled out a piece of chalk from his pants. His hand flew over the torn up ground, sketching a picture quickly. He glared at the man, and then smiled.**

**"I'll be seeing you later, once I get my arm back," he said.**

**The small circle he had drawn glowed, the ground beneath the man folding. A violent roar issued from the fissure as he flew out of the house, thrown away by a mixture of hot pressurized steam and air and rock expelled from the rupture. Ed smiled watching the man fly.**

**The alchemic aura suddenly changed, the usual blue glow changing to red. Ed grimaced, as pains shocked him up and down, the energy swirling around the circle violently. Ed stood his ground, as the red tirade subsided, leaving him and Sarah in the nearly destroyed house alone.**

**Part C – End**

**Author's Note:**

**Whoohoo! Corona! I still haven't discovered why he can transmute with only his hand – but I'll think of something. So what do you think? I wonder if you're confused about the ending, where the alchemic aura becomes red. Heh, there's a reason for that, but I hope you'll catch it later. It's part of the special new items I've added to my fanfic. Okay, I don't want to leave you all in the dark about what's going on, so I'll tell you what the situation is... after I finish Chapter 1! Hopefully it will end with Part D. Hopefully. As usual, I'm totally open to comments and reviews. My big question is: should I waste my time with this, or hurry up and update my Chrono Crusade fanfic? If you haven't read it, please do! Anyways, for those who _have_ read my Chrono fanfic, and are angry at me for slow updates, here's the reason. Each chapter is supposed to work as a stand-alone story, so of course it's going to take long to write, and it _will _ be long. I can't change either of those criteria. Don't worry, I AM working on it, and will have it up as fast as possible. R&R please! **

**KthnxBye!!**


	4. Chapter 1: The Weight Part D

**Chapter 1: "The Weight of Steel and Guilt"**

**Part D – Start**

**Alphonse coughed. He was lucky to be alive, he thought. But darn, it hurt so bad! He pulled his bloody hand off a pile of rock, surprised at the fact that the earth was jutting out of the floor. Was the alchemic reaction that bad? He struggled to sit up, stemming the bleeding of his limb by wrapping his tattered shirt over it.**

**That man... who was he? Al didn't know, and didn't know why he attacked him. Like he told himself before, he was lucky to be alive.**

**A crash in the next room startled him. He was still here? Oh no, a thought shot through his mind, Sarah! She could be in trouble. Not wanting to risk the man returning, he crawled over to the door, sneaking a peek inside.**

**Ed crashed through the entrance, sprawling over his brother.**

**"Al? Alphonse! Hey, speak to me?" he cried. Al shook his elder brother off of him, nearly suffocating.**

**"I'm alright brother! Honestly!" Al said. He then noticed that only _one_ arm was wrapped around him.**

**"Brother... what happened to your arm?" Al asked. Ed looked sheepish, scratching his head.**

**"Yeah, about that," he said, grinning, "uh... I broke it?" Another loud roar of irritation and a crash informed the two brothers that Sarah was:**

**One, obviously fine, and,**

**Two, in one of her angry warpaths.**

**"You broke your mecha-body?" Sarah screamed. Ed turned to find a wrench fly towards him, nailing him square in the forehead. He rose, massaging the bump growing on his temple.**

**"Would you rather be dead right now?" Ed retorted. Sarah appeared, and Ed paused.**

**She was staring heatedly at him, but he could see her eyes water, as though she was about to cry.**

**"You... stupid imbecile!" she shouted. "You could have gotten hurt after he took your arm! What if he attacked you again?" Ed frowned, as Sarah ran off, leaving him and his brother in the decimated dining room.**

**"Talk about a fight," Lyser whistled. **

**"It's a good thing you held yourself back, Solidsteel," Roy commented sarcastically.**

**"Yeah, well, you wouldn't have done any better," Ed said, sitting on a stool. He put his jacket back on, his right sleeve empty. The Inferno Sorcerer smirked, ordering the troops that were investigating the house to leave.**

**"My, my," a short woman said, walking into the house as the troops left, "seems we have a pickle, no doubt." She pulled the pipe out of her mouth, smoke coming out of her nostrils. She looked at the two brothers with squinty eyes, her gray hair pulled back.**

**"You two," she said, jabbing the pipe in their direction, "fix this right now!"**

**"But Aunt Pricilla," Al said, "how can we do that?" **

**"Don't tell me you boys have forgotten all I've taught you," a voice said. **

**Ed and Al's blood instantly ran cold. They turned to the doorway, a shadow looming over them both. They cringed, bracing for the inevitable.**

**They both went tumbling, as a person kicked them right through the door into the destroyed kitchen. The attacker followed them in, putting her hands on her hips.**

**"Wimps," she said, "you make me regret showing you all my tricks, if this is how you use them." **

**Ed looked at the woman who had just nailed him in the head with her foot.**

**The woman was fairly tall, with dark brown hair that was pulled back, the loose hair in dreadlocks. She had sharp dark eyes that flashed every time she was angry. Right now, they were flashing. She wore a white shirt that hugged her body, and had a tattoo on the left side of her chest. It was a cross with two wings as the horizontal arms.**

**"Teacher!" Al said, backing away from the woman.**

**"Hello Alphonse," the woman said. "And you too Edward."**

**"What was that for?" Edward cried out. The woman's eyes flashed, and Ed went flying.**

**"For being an imbecile," she said bluntly. She sighed, pulling a glove out from her pocket. She flapped them, and slowly put them on.**

**"I didn't expect a Federal Alchemist to be so puny," she commented. Ed bit his tongue, not wanting another helping of abuse. The woman finished putting her gloves on, and touched the floor.**

**The ground shook, crackling with blue lightning. Hughes and Roy moved as the earth mended, the floorboards fixing themselves as well. **

**"Now then," the woman said, "give me a good reason why you couldn't do that."**

**"I'm missing an arm lady," Ed said. He got another helping of abuse.**

**"So you're telling me you can't draw out a simple circle with your other arm?" she asked, putting her fist down. Ed shook his head, nursing his swelling cranium.**

**"Then you've either gotten stupider with age or lazier," she said. Ed sighed, looking at the pieces of his mecha-body on the floor. He glared at the woman. She was his teacher of alchemy. Isis Curtis. A woman from a southern town that had no trouble in beating him and his brother senseless.**

**"Are you going to fix it?" Isis asked. Ed frowned.**

**"Give me a minute, yeah? I need to think of what kind of circle will be best," Ed said, crouching down, his stub of chalk in his left hand.**

**"A metal element circle, with the formula for machines," Isis said, rolling her eyes, "I taught you that one on the first day."**

**"Yeah, yeah," Ed sighed, tracing a circle down, writing some inscription on it. He placed his hand down on the floor, making sure he had all the pieces. He tapped the floor with the palm of his hand, and waited.**

**The circle began to glow, the blue aura appearing. The pieces began to be outlined in blue, the alchemic reaction starting up.**

**Suddenly the light turned red. The energy around the circle swirled, a crackling red light crawling up Ed's hand. He shouted, as the lightening tore away at his coat. He pulled his hand away, and the alchemic reaction calmed, the red fire subsiding.**

**"What just happened?" Roy asked. Isis glared at Ed.**

**"You did it, didn't you?" she asked. Ed pouted.**

**"So what? Would you rather me dead?" he retorted.**

**"I'd rather you use your head!" she cried out, placing another hit on his head.**

**"Can I ask again, what just happened?" Roy said irritated. Isis straightened up, putting her hands on her hips.**

**"Ed spent too much of his Chi," she said, "overusing alchemy and using too much of your own strength in transmutations can cause your Chi to drain quickly. When that happens, you're more susceptible to rebounds, and they can occur even if you have the proper equivalent exchange and circle design."**

**Ed shrugged. He had used too much of his strength when he blasted that guy out of his home. But still. He would rather himself alive and out of Chi than dead and full of it.**

**"I guess you two need some more instructing," she said, grinning. The two brother's mouths dropped open.**

**"C'mon. Pack you're things," Isis said, "you're coming home with me." She grinned. "I think Rage will be happy to see you two."**

**Ed groaned. Isis luckily didn't hear him, putting her hand to the circle Edward had drawn. She reconstructed the mecha-body, handing it to him.**

**"I guess Sarah's not going to help me," Ed said quietly. He paused, mustering up the strength. He then shoved the mecha-body's end into his shoulder, the pieces fitting like a plug in an outlet.**

**Ed held back a painful scream, as the nerves connected to the receptors in the arm from his shoulder. He panted for a minute, getting used to the discomfort.**

**"Grace is going to kill me," Lyser moaned, "when she hears about Ed. She'll butcher me for being so late." He scratched his head in unease, as Roy smirked.**

**"Well, give her my regards," Roy said, stepping outside. "See ya."**

**"Hey, where you going?" Ed asked. Roy paused. "It's Rizelle, isn't it?" Ed said, grinning. Roy turned around, a faceless expression on.**

**"Yeah," was all he said before moving on.**

**Al sighed. He looked as Isis waited by the door, her arms crossed and her mouth turned into a triumphant smirk.**

**"It's going to be a nice weekend break," she said, as they walked out.**

**"Did they leave?" Sarah asked. Aunt Pricilla nodded.**

**"Granny," Sarah whispered, "is it wrong... to hate Ed sometimes?" Aunt Pricilla smiled.**

**"Of course not," she said, "I hate them all the time." Sarah gave a soft smile.**

**"Well... for some reason... I don't," she said, watching the clouds, as they traced their ways through the sky.**

**A sky of infinite reach, where somewhere out there, a single bird with steel wings flew, despite the weight that wanted to drag it down.**

**Part D – End**

**Chapter 1 – End **

**Author's Note:**

**Shoot... the first chapter done!! Whoo-hoo! Celebrate! (Funny dance ) Alright! So, I hope you all got the idea of what this story's about. If not, let me clarify some things for you. After this, I hope you figure the whole story out on your own. If not, R&R, or PM me. I'll put it up in my next AN. Haha! I'm using funny letters for words! Hee hee. Sorry. Just a little giddy, mainly because I just bought Volume 11 and 12 of the FMA anime, and the intro song and scene rocks! Plus, I saw Wrath, my most favorite FMA character of all time! This is weird, since I saw the movie before most of the anime. I just saw Volume 2 of the anime, and the first 4 episodes too. Then I skipped to the movie. Then I skipped back to the 2nd and 3rd to last volume. I'm so mad that the last volume isn't in my store!! Grr... Well, back to "Metal Goes Mental". If you want to know how I got the title... I just added an "n" to Metal. It worked, and I liked it. Honest, that's how I got the title. Well, back to some finer points of the FF.**

**_Environment_: We are in the land of Errith, not Amestris as in the manga and anime. Eritth is like modern earth, like the world that we are in. Alchemy and other sciences have advanced at the same rate, allowing alchemy to exist alongside physics. This results in the development of advanced machines, while being able to use ancient alchemy to fix these machines and create better ones.**

**_Alchemy_: Alchemy is based on Three Cardinal Laws, known as the "Truth." (Hee hee.) The "Truths" are: _Basis_, which is the circle design and what the alchemist is trying to create; _Material_, which is essentially Equivalent Exchange; and _Power_, or Chi which is the inner strength of a person's alchemic powers which determine how many times you can transmute, the limits to what you can create, and the overall strength of your alchemy.**

**That's all! No more sneakies unless requested! See ya!**

**Preview of Chapter 2**

**Chapter 2: "The Strength of Iron and Will"**

_**When we fall, the only cushion is our hope...**_

**"Edward!! You're back!" A wild haired boy ran into a blonde man that was a little short for his age. They tumbled, the boy ending up on top of Edward. He had a short black shirt on that revealed a belly, and black leggings that ended to bare feet. He smiled, his teeth brilliant white and seeming to be sharp, and had pretty violet irises.**

**"Oof," Ed grunted, "nice to see you too Rage. Man... You're getting heavy!"**

**"It's 'cause Daddy is helping me get big and strong!" he said, smiling. Ed pushed the rugrat off of him, Alphonse laughing as Rage ran to him.**

**"Al's bigger than you Ed," Rage said, turning innocently to the fuming brother, "why do you gotta be such a shrimp?" He sucked on his finger, a habit that made him look even cuter and younger than he was.**

**"WHAT DO YOU MEAN A SHRIMP, A LITTLE DWARF THAT YOU GOTTA WATCH OUT FOR OR STEP ON, YOU LITTLE RAT?!" Ed roared. He felt a large hand rest on his shoulder.**

**"Now, Ed," a deep voice said, "should you really be so short tempered with Adam there?" Ed paused, then turned around.**

**He saw a gigantic man stared down at him, his black beard cut to make his chin look square shape. He then smiled.**

**"Nice to see you again, Elric," Simpson Curtis said. Ed looked sheepish.**

**"Yeah," Ed agreed, "nice to see you too Sim."**

**Preview of Chapter 2 – End**


	5. Chapter 2: The Strength Part A

**Metal Goes Mental**

**Chapter 2: "The Strength of Iron and Will"**

_**When we fall, the only cushion is our hope...**_

**"Edward!! You're back!" A wild haired boy ran into a blonde man that was a little short for his age. They tumbled, the boy ending up on top of Edward. He had a short black shirt on that revealed a belly, and black leggings that ended to bare feet. He smiled, his teeth brilliant white and seeming to be sharp, and had pretty violet irises.**

**"Oof," Ed grunted, "nice to see you too Rage. Man... You're getting heavy!"**

**"It's 'cause Daddy is helping me get big and strong!" he said, smiling. Ed pushed the rugrat off of him, Alphonse laughing as Rage ran to him.**

**"Al's bigger than you Ed," Rage said, turning innocently to the fuming brother, "Why do you gotta be such a shrimp?" He sucked on his finger, a habit that made him look even cuter and younger than he was.**

**"WHAT DO YOU MEAN A SHRIMP, A LITTLE DWARF THAT YOU GOTTA WATCH OUT FOR OR STEP ON, YOU LITTLE RAT?!" Ed roared. He felt a large hand rest on his shoulder.**

**"Now, Ed," a deep voice said, "should you really be so short tempered with Adam there?" Ed paused, then turned around.**

**He saw a gigantic man stared down at him, his black beard cut to make his chin look square shape. He then smiled.**

**"Nice to see you again, Elric," Simpson Curtis said. Ed looked sheepish.**

**"Yeah," Ed agreed, "nice to see you too Sim."**

**"So what do you have planned out, Teacher?" Ed asked, leaning next to the house. He had taken off his jacket, dressed plainly in a tight fitting sleeveless black shirt, and black leather pants that cuffed around his boots. It was too hot to wear much clothes down in the south where they were.**

**"Seeing as you love to run your Chi out," Isis said, Rage curled up next to her where she sat cross-legged on the ground, "I thought we could learn to extend your Chi to greater lengths." Ed snorted.**

**"How do you expect to do that? Chi has a set limit that cannot be altered, isn't that what you told me?" Ed retorted. Isis glared at her student, Rage's muffled snores blocked by the thumb in his mouth that he was sucking.**

**"That is true," Isis said, "You cannot change the limit of your Chi. However, you can learn how to use it better, and use less of your Chi to gain the same result that you would have when using more of it. Plus, you can learn to change the potency of your Chi." Ed blinked.**

**"Potency... like the strength of it?" Ed asked. Isis nodded. She put her gloves on, scratching Rage's head. He smiled in his sleep, a soft smirk playing on Isis's lips. She then clapped her hands, and put it to the grass field that was nearby.**

**A pillow of cotton appeared, Isis putting Rage's head on it. He snuggled up, Isis putting her outer shirt on him. She turned to Ed, dressed in a black piece that wrapped around her torso, and black shorts that went down to her mid thigh.**

**"The best way to learn how much Chi you have is to transmute one time after another," Isis said. She put her hands up, glaring at Ed.**

**"Wait," Ed said slowly, stepping back, "you don't expect me to–" Ed didn't have time to finish, as a giant boulder crashed down right where he had been standing moments before.**

**"Come on Ed," Isis said, clapping her hands, "Stop being such a wimp." Ed grimaced, running forward. He clapped his hands, placing his left onto his right.**

**His mecha-body erupted, the steel forming a blade at the end. He rolled, avoiding Isis's kick. He then slashed instinctively.**

**Isis stopped, immobile. Ed stood up, staring at her back. Why was she all still? Did he actually get her?**

**Isis's shirt fell off, a clean rip through the back of the cloth. Ed gulped, watching Isis's back tense up.**

**"You little..." she said, trembling. She clapped her hands, reconstructing her shirt, and putting it back on. She turned to Ed, fire in her eyes.**

**"You sick perverted midget of an idiot!" she screamed, sending him flying with an alchemic reaction. He had much time to contemplate as he rose in the air and arced back down to the ground. When he plucked his head from the earth he saw a glowering Isis, staring heatedly at him.**

**"Another stunt like that, and I'll make you into Rage's newest toy," she said, her hands trembling. Ed glared back.**

**"As if I planned that!" Ed said, "It's kinda hard to understand what you mean when you're ranting on like a lunatic!" Isis crossed her arms.**

**"It's very simple Edward," she said, "simply transmute again and again. Constant transmutation, especially at frequent intervals is the main reason for Chi drainage. That is all I want you to do." **

**"Then what gives with the war zone practice?" he cried. Isis shrugged.**

**"I went over my diet. I had to burn off a few extra calories," she said simply. Ed sighed.**

**"A diet? Teacher, you're thinner than I saw you last time. You don't need a diet!" Ed cried. She grabbed him by the collar, lifting him up to her face.**

**"You don't tell me what to do shrimp," she glowered. "I want it, and I'll have you know that Sim's been very supportive on this decision."**

**"Isis! I bought you ice cream!" Sim said, waving at the end of the house. Isis instantly let go of Ed, walking toward her husband like a zombie, dragging her feet and drool running down her chin.**

**"Ice cream..." Isis said wistfully.**

**"Hey, you better watch it Thunder Thighs, that stuff will put about ten pounds back into your big butt of yours," Ed laughed. Isis turned back, clapping her hands.**

**"Here you go," Sim said, handing her a bowl of chocolate. She sighed, digging into the dessert. "Would you like some Edward?" An odd shaped yellow ball rolled itself over, a little antenna and two big glaring eyes staring at Sim.**

**"I guess not. It's in the kitchen if you change your mind," Sim said, walking back into the house. The ball turned its focus on Isis, who spooned one helping of ice cream into her mouth at a time. The ball bounced, glaring at her.**

**"So, Trisha," Isis said, "Pricilla told me that you're still trying to bring her back." Isis put her hand to the ball, lightning crackling over it.**

**"Yeah," Ed said, massaging his body, "I haven't given up yet." Isis shook her head.**

**"Bad things come to those who want the impossible," she said, "Take my advice Edward. Forget about trying to bring her back. I'm not saying to forget about her, but honestly, you need to understand. Life isn't renewable. You can't get it back once it's been spent. Life is one of the flukes of alchemy, Edward. The one thing we cannot fix." Ed nodded, looking down.**

**The limbs he had were testament to this, he knew. But still...**

**Why give up when it looks as though you have the chance for success?**

**Part A – End**

**Author's Note:**

**Rage! Yeah! The little kiddo, I love him. Here, let me give you a quick little character summarization, just because I love him so much. Rage is Isis and Sim's son. Rage learned the Hand Clap technique from his mother, and spends time in between both parents learning alchemy and learning machinery. His trademark technique is the ability to fuse things to his body. Rage wears special gloves that allow him to fuse materials to them, and control them as well. With these gloves he can make a sharp blade over his hand, or put guns onto the glove so he can fire about ten of them at a time. Rage is cute and innocent, and likes to tackle and beat up Ed. He is nice to Al. His actual name is Adam Curtis. Rage is only a nickname given to him by the Elrics. Isis sometimes calls him that, but Sim never does.**

**Okay, that's out of the way. I hope you liked the humor in it. The whole nude-Isis scene and the Fatty dialogue that Ed gets transformed into a ball for is just funny to me. That, and how one minute Isis is all like, "I need to lose weight," and the next minute is gorging herself on chocolate. Hee hee . **

**As usual, I'd like to know how you think I'm going on this. For any of my Chrono Crusade readers who are reading this, yes, I've finished the fourth chapter and it is now up. Sigh... the fifth one will be hell to write, since I'm not too sure on the specific events that occur... oh well. I hope you all enjoy it, and if not... well I can't say much to that, other than I'm sorry if I wasted your time.**

**KthnxBye!**


	6. Chapter 2: The Strength Part B

**Chapter 2: "The Strength of Iron and Will"**

**Part B - Start**

**"That's enough," Isis said. Alphonse stepped back. His right arm was bandaged, still wounded from the attack that occurred in Aunt Pricilla's home. Edward stretched, his right prosthetic clanking as he did so. Isis walked forward, throwing her dreadlocked hair back.**

**"Where's the little twerp?" Edward asked, brushing the sweat off his face.**

**"Adam's with Sim," Isis answered, "and back to the point." Edward and Alphonse had been fighting, at the request of their teacher. Thus, the earth around them was agitated, aftereffects of alchemic reactions dotting the field they were in.**

**"You both don't know how to calculate your Chi," she said, "you each use way too much whenever you transmute." She pulled some gloves out from the back pocket of her pants, slowly putting them on as she kept talking.**

**"The key to alchemy is balance, and there are three things you have to balance with," she said. Her gloves had two different designed circles on the palm. The left was stitched with blue, and the right with red.**

**"The Truths," Al said. Isis nodded.**

**"The Truths," she repeated, lifting her fingers. "Material, Basis, Power." She lifted her fingers as she counted the three things out.**

**"Material is Equivalent Exchange," Ed said, "so whatever we make we need to have the same amount of material to even create it." Isis nodded.**

**"Basis is the Transmutation Circle," Alphonse said, "which designates what we're trying to transmute." Isis nodded again.**

**"And Power," Isis said, "is the inner strength in an alchemist, also known as Chi. This Chi determines the strength of your alchemy, the limits on what you can create, and how many times you can transmute." Ed and Al nodded.**

**"Yeah, we know," Ed said, "so what is it that you need to teach us after all these years?" Isis put her hands to her hips, her hair swaying in the southern breeze.**

**"The thing about you two is that you don't acknowledge all the Truths," she said, "you understand the balance between Material and Basis, but you cannot balance your own Power." She clapped her hands, both of the circles in her gloves glowing. Ed and Al's eyes opened wide at the sight of it.**

**"Two active circles at the same time," Ed whispered. He'd never seen that before. It was always one step at a time, as Isis had taught him.**

**"And they're both different Styles," Alphonse noted, looking at the different designs stitched into the glove's palm. His own gloves had only a single design stitched onto them.**

**"Exactly," Isis said, "if you can focus your Chi and balance it, things like this will become simple and almost basic once you master them." She then slammed her hands onto the ground.**

**The earth ruptured, knocking the two brothers back. At the same time, the earth mended, forcing a wave of earth to rise up and then fall back into place, as though nothing had happened.**

**"And you can control the timing of each alchemic reaction," she added as the boys rose. Ed grumbled, sitting down as his mecha-body began to stiffen.**

**"You never taught us this before," Ed said, wincing as the pain from his shoulder increased, "why all of a sudden now, and years later at that?" Isis looked away, looking at her house that was a ways away from the field.**

**"...because I'm afraid," she whispered. Al looked up.**

**"Teacher?" he asked. She shook her head.**

**"Nothing Alphonse," she said, turning back. Her face was saddened, not the usual amused smirk or glaring grimace. She walked way, leaving the two brothers in the field.**

**Rage tumbled along the roof, yelling his lungs out. This was bad, he thought. Really, really bad. Mommy's gonna have a fit. He gave another tremulous yell as he fell off the drainpipe, heading toward the ground below.**

**A shock of electricity ran out, a giant fluff of cotton appearing from below. Rage hit the pillow, rolling safely onto the ground.**

**"Oh, my poor baby!" Isis cried, grabbing Rage, hugging him tightly. **

**"Mommy!" he said. He smiled, hugging her back. Ed smiled as he saw the two, a sharp pang of pain hitting his chest. He remembered a time when he'd do that with his own mother. Running into open warm arms, brushing past danger because his mom was there to save him. He looked away, staring at the metallic hand of his. Because of him, he couldn't save her...**

**"Ed," Rage said, tugging on his prosthetic arm, "C'mon, Mommy's gonna take us out today!" He smiled, his teeth small, and very sharp. They were the tools he used to fight with him, leaving bleeding nicks when he got serious and angry. **

**"Where to?" Ed asked. Isis smiled, lifting her son onto her shoulder. He stated messing with her hair, which she apparently didn't mind.**

**"It's Valentines soon," she said, "don't you want to get Sarah anything?" Ed gulped, his face beginning to heat up and redden.**

**"Why-Why would I want that?" he asked defensively. Isis laughed.**

**"Because she's your friend, you idiot," she said, "and that would be mean to her, not to get one of your closest friends anything at all."**

**"It's not as if it's Christmas or anything!" Ed complained. Isis gave a last sly look at him before walking off with her barefoot child. Ed grit his teeth. He didn't feel that getting Sarah anything would be bad. Only that, it was Valentines. Valentines! If he _did_ get her something, she might think...**

**Oh, screw it, he thought, following his teacher. It'd be better to have a nervous and confused Sarah than an angry and silent one. After all, he thought.**

**It was only Valentines. What harm could it do? **

**Part B – End**

**Author's Note:**

**Dun-dun-dun! What will Edward get Sarah? Will Rage get his mother angry? Will Edward catch his teacher naked again?! Who knows. The next part might be full of fluff – absolutely nothing to do with the story main story about Ed's quest. It might just be about Rage, and his cuteness, and that's about it. Character development... sigh... I've got some questions on how the story should go that I'd like to ask you all about... but, I'm not even that into the story, so asking you would be a spoiler. Aaugh!!! !! Plus, I've got a question. I have this file that I could load up into the story. It's essentially the character biographies, the explanation of some concepts, and background history. It might help you all understand the story a bit more, but will also be a major spoiler, because that's where my plans on how the story will flow goes. I could edit it to show only who and what we've seen so far... but that'd be constant editing as more chapters are added. Oh well, tell me if you want. I might add it when the couole of final chapters are to be added. And once again, tell me if I'm wasting my time or not. R&R plz. **

**KthnxBye!**


	7. Chapter 2: The Strength Part C

**Chapter 2: "The Strength of Iron and Will"**

**Part C - Start**

** "Waaugh!" Rage cried, running away barefooted down the road. His wild black hair was tousled behind him, his feet seeming to disregard the sharp stones and rough dirt that they brushed over.**

**"Mommy, mommy, mommy, Ed's trying to transmute me!" Rage cried, running into his mother's open arms. Isis glared at the Ed, a vein throbbing in his temple. He glared at the child, who had managed to once again get lifted onto his mother's shoulder. Ed's hand was bleeding, sharp slashes all down his arm.**

**"You're trying to do what to Rage?" she cried. Ed twitched.**

**"Look at what that little twerp did to me!" he said, holding out his arm. "He bit me like I was lunch or something!" Rage peeked out from between his mother's arms and his wild hair that was in his face.**

**"You said you had food in your hand," Rage accused, "and he didn't want to share with me!" Isis patted him on the head, turning back toward the road.**

**"What? You're not even going to do anything?" Ed cried. Isis glared at him, putting her son down. She put her hands together.**

**"That's not what I– " Ed dodged out of the way as the earth rose to meet him, sealing itself back down. Ed pulled his body up, glaring as Isis lifted her son again, taking off down the street.**

**Ed sighed, catching up with his teacher.**

**"Here," Isis said, handing him a rag. He wrapped it around his only real arm, and stemmed the bleeding. He shook his bloody hand off, red residue still dried to his fingers.**

**"Eew..." Rage commented, "Ed's gross. He's got fleas."**

**"What?" Ed cried. Rage grinned, then cuddled back up with his mother. They made their way into the bustling city of Dezrith, heading toward one of the malls there. Inside Rage squirmed free of his mother's grasp, running excitedly up and down the walks, giggling and laughing excitedly. Isis smiled, leaving her boy to run around.**

**"Hope he doesn't get lost," Ed muttered bitterly. He turned around, the sign of the store he was next to making his stomach squirm.**

**It was a woman's lingerie shop.**

**"Excuse me," Isis said, sneaking up besides him, "I don't think you should be looking that way." She dragged him away, his face flushing furiously.**

**"You know I didn't mean to," Ed protested. Isis waved her hand, laughing.**

**"Sure Edward," Isis said, "you are a full grown man after all now... well, not so much the full grown part." Ed bit his tongue at the comment. He learned one thing about his teacher – backtalk gets you nowhere, except maybe the emergency room.**

**"Hmm," Isis said, inspecting a booth full of cutlery tools, "think Sim will like this?" Ed walked up, inspecting the knives.**

**"I dunno. Are you going to give it to him or give it in him?" he asked. Isis rolled her eyes, putting a large cleaver down. Rage walked up to them, his fingers sticky and gooey.**

**"What's that Rage?" Isis asked. Rage looked up to his mother, sucking on a chocolate covered finger.**

**"Nothing," he said, although the evidence was already present. Isis gave him a look.**

**"Are you sure?" she asked, pulling a bit of wrapper that was stuck to his shirt. "Where did you get this?" Rage pointed to a vendor next to a water fountain.**

**"That man gave me some," he said, "he says I'm gonna grow up big and strong if I eat lotsa chocolate." Isis glared at the man, grabbing her son by the hand, despite it being covered in brown gooiness.**

**"Excuse me," Isis said to the vendor, "did you sell my son a candy?" The man looked at Rage. **

**"Sure did," the man said, "may I interest you to buy even more candy to quiet him down? He's a handful. It took a couple of bars to shut him up." Ed saw Isis' expression darken, Rage still oblivious to the scene that was going on around him.**

**Ed reached out and grabbed Rage with his metal arm. **

**The world exploded with light, Ed barely able to catch Isis's slim frame running toward the booth. The man had rolled back, running away from the woman.**

**"You saying I can't control my own son!" she screamed. "You trying to say my son is difficult to maintain?" Isis clapped her hands again, slamming the man's cart. The cart began to glow blue, crackling with lightning.**

**The blue hue turned red, the lightning reaching out whatever was around it. Ed looked at his teacher, as she staggered, falling onto the floor. The alchemic reaction continued to spin out of control, Isis's body slowly being dragged to the cart, her gloves glowing red, both of the circles rebounding.**

**Ed rushed forward, after telling Rage to stay put. Rage said nothing, standing still and staring at his mother as she lay immobile on the floor.**

**Ed clapped his own hands, touching the glowing cart. He grimaced in pain as the lightning from Isis's alchemic reaction ran up his arm, tearing away the fabric of his sleeveless shirt and his own flesh. Ed saw the red lightning slowly recoil, the red turning back to blue. The cart hummed, and slowly melted.**

**Ed pulled his hands out of a ball of metal, collapsing onto his rear. He turned to his teacher, and saw Rage gently nudging her body. He was on his knees, his eyes wide and open. He placed his hands on his mother's shoulder, pressing her softly.**

**"Mommy?" he said, his voice cracking the silence that had proceeded the near disastrous alchemic reaction. **

**A teardrop fell from Rage's face, as he cringed, shaking Isis even more.**

**"Mommy? Mommy!" Rage wailed, crying out as his screams echoed in the silent room.**

**The cries of a scared child.**

**Part C – End**

**Author's Note:**

**I'm really surprised that some people actually like this. If you read it, do me at least the favor of letting me know if you like it or not. This is for all those people who read but don't review. I'd like a full perspective of how this is going.**

**And for those who _have_ reviewed – We all love Rage! Yeah! Poor little kid – I feel guilty about what happened to him this chapter. I say we can all keep him. Rotate every other week. Hm... how would we do that?... Oh well. Anyways, Isis would get angry if anyone took Rage away. It's her baby. I suppose that no one wants that character bio thingy that I offered last time. Well, that's okay. I'll see if I can finish it up, and then put it in or something. Any comments , I'll listen!**

**KthnxBye!**


	8. Chapter 2: The Strength Part D

**Chapter 2: "The Strength of Iron and Will"**

**Part D - Start**

**"She's going to be fine," Sim said, leaning against the wall. Alphonse held a sniffling Rage, the boy curled up in his lap. Ed rose from his seat, holding his bleeding arm. Sim stared at the floor, the doctors in Isis's room, the four of them in the hospital.**

**"Sim," Ed said quietly, coming up to the giant man, "can I ask you something?" Sim looked down at Ed, the young man gazing up with a look of concern.**

**"What is it?" Sim asked softly.**

**"Isis," Ed said, "she's not fine, is she?" Sim closed his eyes.**

**"She's... ill," Sim said, the words hard to say, "her heart is weak. I suppose it happened after Adam was born." He said each phrase with guilt and sadness.**

**"The doctors don't know why it happened. Right after the delivery she had a heart attack. For six months, she wasn't allowed to even hold her baby," he said. "They told her it wasn't likely she would make it. I guess the though of unable to see her baby at all allowed her to recover as quickly as she did."**

**"Ever since then, however, she hasn't been the same. She's not as strong as before, and her Chi as she calls it, isn't as good as before. She's always afraid that she'll get another attack, and that'll be the last time she ever sees either of us," Sim finished.**

**"Damn," Ed said, "and she still wants to teach us, and now... why?" Ed ran a hand through his hair in agitation. **

**"It's all my fault..."**

**Sim put a hand on Ed's shoulder.**

**"Why do you think that, Edward?" Sim asked. Ed frowned.**

**"Because, I can't even perform simple alchemy," he said, "it's because I strained so much without even knowing what I was doing that I made her take me back, risking her own health." Sim shook his head.**

**"As much as I don't agree with her," Sim said, "we both know that his is what she wants, and this is the best for her." Ed said nothing, Rage's sobs finally cleaning up.**

**"Sing me a song Al," Rage whispered. Alphonse looked down in surprise at the little boy, whose eyes were bloodshot from crying. Al nodded. When his mother used to sing him songs, he'd always feel better afterwards.**

"_**With open wings we'll see**_

**_The things that are hidden beneath our feet._**

_**The open tides and great divides,**_

_**That are hidden beneath our own two feet."**_

**Ed and Sim turned to Al, who was singing softly to Rage. Rage closed his eyes, rocked back and forth in Al's arms.**

"_**Shuffle past the ice**_

_**That binds us to our fate.**_

_**Through and through the emptiness**_

_**We'll help each other find our way.**_

_**Entwined in lullabies**_

_**And sweet goodbyes**_

_**That are promises to meet**_

_**Again another time.**_

_**With tiny kisses and hugs to you**_

_**Despite thousands of other things to do,**_

_**I won't forget you...**_

_**I will not forget you..."**_

**Ed smiled softly as Al's song faded.**

**"He sings that pretty well," Sim commented. Ed nodded.**

**"It's... the song he wrote for mom's funeral," Ed said softly, "the one that Sarah sang for him. He was crying too hard to sing it himself." Ed gave a strained laugh, closing his eyes, trying to shut out the flow of emotions that he felt whenever he heard that melody.**

**The door opened, the doctors finally admitting Sim and the others. Sim and Rage walked in first, the two Elrics behind them.**

**Isis breathed weakly on her cot, her skin pale, her hair undone and her bangs in her face. Sim sat next to her, squeezing her hand.**

**"Honey," Sim said softly as Isis opened her eyes. She smiled, Rage crawling onto her cot and snuggling up beside her.**

**"Sweetie," she said, "and my dear little baby." Rage gave a small squeak as his mother pulled him close to her.**

**"Is everything going to be alright?" Al asked. Isis nodded.**

**"Yes... but I'm sorry boys," she said, "I can't teach you anything the way I'm in."**

**Ed shook his head.**

**"Don't try to apologize," he said, "there wasn't anything you could have done. Thanks Teacher. We'll go back to Resin Pool tomorrow." Isis frowned.**

**"Edward," she said, "you don't have to act as if you don't care." Ed bowed his head, his chin quivering as he bit down the tears of happiness and worry that were threatening to spill over his eyes.**

**"I'm sorry Teacher," he said, "I'm not strong enough to help anyone. But, I will take what you have given me, and use it right." He lifted his head, his cheeks full of dried on tears.**

**Isis smiled. **

**"I know you will."**

**"Alright," Ed said at the train, "take good care of your mom, alright?" He patted Rage on the head, taking his luggage into the car. Rage nodded, and handed Ed a package,**

**"What's this?" Ed asked. Rage smiled.**

**"Mommy asked me to go get you something for helping her out. It's a gift for Sarah!" Rage said, grinning wide. Ed held the package at the tips of his fingers.**

**"And what is it, exactly?" Ed asked in apprehension.**

**"It's a surprise!" Rage said, waving as the train took Edward and Alphonse back home to Resin Pool.**

**Part D – End**

**Chapter 2 – End**

**Author's Note:**

**Well, now we all know why Isis loves and cares so much about Rage. That, and why she was "afraid" in Part B. And if anyone has a nice title for the "Funeral Of Trisha Song By Alphonse" (it's not really called that), I'd like to hear it. I might just call it that! ;) You never know! Right now I can't comment on much, but hopefully the story will start to pick up speed next chapter. Waaugh, I gotta keep myself on track!**

**KthnxBye!**

**Preview of Chapter 3**

**Chapter 3: "The Durability of Trust and Love"**

_**Hearts are given to love; souls are given to be loved...**_

**"I can't believe you!" Sarah screamed, Edward running out of the house. He had a bruised up cranium, another pot being thrown at him by his pan-wielding maniac of a friend.**

**"I told you, Rage picked it out!" Ed roared, turning around in time to get hit square in the forehead with a solid steel pot. Ha ha. Very funny.**

**"If this is what you're going to get me," she held out a pair of skimpy looking pink undergarments, "don't bother at all!" Ed grimaced, and sighed. He turned around, walking out the gate that led up to the house.**

**"Hey! Don't walk away! Come back!" Sarah shouted at the retreating Edward. He waved his hand, ignoring her. She grit her teeth, storming back into the house.**

**"That little," she said, unable to finish the sentence without swearing. Aunt Pricilla smirked, taking a drag from her pipe.**

**"I'm sure he put a lot of thought in that," Aunt Pricilla said, "especially since he got you the right size. Who knew he kept track of that? Mighty hard guesswork if you ask me." Sarah sat at the table, still fuming. She glanced at the pink heart shaped box she thought had chocolate in it. Instead, a thong.**

**Sarah gave an invisible smile. Maybe he did put a lot of thought in it. Maybe...**

**Maybe she'll wear it the next time he comes visits, she thought.**

**Preview of Chapter 3 – End **


	9. Chapter 3: The Durability Part A

**Metal Goes Mental**

**Chapter 3: "The Durability of Trust and Love"**

_**Hearts are given to love; souls are given to be loved...**_

**"I can't believe you!" Sarah screamed, Edward running out of the house. He had a bruised up cranium, another pot being thrown at him by his pan-wielding maniac of a friend.**

**"I told you, Rage picked it out!" Ed roared, turning around in time to get hit square in the forehead with a solid steel pot. Ha ha. Very funny.**

**"If this is what you're going to get me," she held out a pair of skimpy looking pink undergarments, "don't bother at all!" Ed grimaced, and sighed. He turned around, walking out the gate that led up to the house.**

**"Hey! Don't walk away! Come back!" Sarah shouted at the retreating Edward. He waved his hand, ignoring her. She grit her teeth, storming back into the house.**

**"That little," she said, unable to finish the sentence without swearing. Aunt Pricilla smirked, taking a drag from her pipe.**

**"I'm sure he put a lot of thought in that," Aunt Pricilla said, "especially since he got you the right size. Who knew he kept track of that? Mighty hard guesswork if you ask me." Sarah sat at the table, still fuming. She glanced at the pink heart shaped box she thought had chocolate in it. Instead, a thong.**

**Sarah gave an invisible smile. Maybe he did put a lot of thought in it. Maybe...**

**Maybe she'll wear it the next time he comes visits, she thought.**

**Ed nursed the damages that Sarah had inflicted upon him. He was surprised that his teacher would send her son to get something like that. The little twerp! He fumed as he made his way back to his house.**

**"Yo, Alphonse," Ed said, dropping his coat, "I'm back." He walked up into the attic, opening the door. His younger brother was leaning over a giant piece of paper, writing some complicated and ancient looking inscriptions. He didn't respond, looking into a book, then copying what he read.**

**Edward walked over to his desk, which was cramped between mountains of books. Ed rolled his sleeves up, his eyes drifting over his desk. They came upon a picture frame.**

**The picture showed a small young boy with blonde hair, a little kid with brownish hair in the arms of his mother. A tall man had his hand on the shoulder of the blonde boy, a small smirk on his face.**

**Ed tuned away, grabbing a book off the top of the pile next to his desk. He flipped to a marked page, pulling down a sheet from another stack. It was a partially completed transmutation circle, with different symbols and inscriptions, far more complex than the one that Alphonse was working on.**

**A clap and buzz of electricity sounded off in the small room, blue light sizzling around Al. The reaction subsided, Al leaning back and wiping sweat from his forehead.**

**"Did it work?" Ed asked, despite not even knowing what Al was doing.**

**"Yeah," Al said breathless, "I've finally got it. What Teacher was teaching us." Ed raised an eyebrow.**

**"Multiple Circle activation?" Ed asked. Al nodded. On his sheet was an intricate shaped statue, of a marble statue of armor. The circle on Al's sheet and his gloves slowly stopped glowing, the hue dying out. **

**"I don't know everything," Al admitted, "but at least I can do that." Ed nodded. He put his sheet on the cramped floor, shifting from reading his marked pages to scuttling his pencil over the paper.**

**Al walked over to Ed, gasping as he decoded the signs of the paper.**

**"Ed..." Al whispered, "is that... are you..." Ed frowned, his pencil stopping.**

**"Get away Al," Ed said, "this is my research. My own decision." Al grimaced, crouching down.**

**"No!" Al screamed, tearing the paper. Ed clenched his hands, as the sheet was torn to pieces in front of him. Al stepped back, trembling as Ed rose.**

**"Al," Ed said slowly, his voice quivering, "what the hell did you do that for?" Al stood his ground as his enraged brother rose, his eyes glinting with anger.**

**"Why do you insist on this brother?" Al yelled. "How many times do we have to say it – human transmutation is impossible!" Ed clenched his hands, the bits and pieces of years of trial and error all about him.**

**"You have no idea what I was doing," Ed said. Al shook his head.**

**"You were trying to bring mom back again!" Al yelled. Ed shook his head this time.**

**"I was trying to get my damn arm and leg back!" Ed shouted. "I was just trying – trying to be whole again!" With this he stormed off, slamming the door behind him.**

**Ed felt the breeze flit through the grave. The same cold breeze that made him feel when a kid as though his mother was still there, whispering to him with words he couldn't understand. It made him feel guilty. As though he was ignoring his mother's words.**

**"She was a pretty thing," a voice said. Ed turned around.**

**An old man with brown clothes was carrying a shovel. He walked by Ed and the grave, patting the headstone fondly.**

**"Yes she was, that Trisha Elric," the man said. Ed narrowed his eyes.**

**"Who are you?" Ed said. The man shifted. He put his shovel down, the blade sinking into the ground.**

**"Sorry," the man said, "I'm the grave's undertaker." Ed slightly recoiled. This man buried the dead. His stomach irked at the thought.**

**"Yes, I remember her," the man continued, "I wish I could see her now. Her smile, her twinkling eyes, she brought the sense of vitality whenever she was around." Ed gave this man a sideways glance. He didn't like the way he was talking about his mom.**

**"Yeah," Ed said, keeping his thoughts inside about this man, "me too." The undertaker smiled.**

**"Yes," he said, "I'd send her a postcard, but... well, she wouldn't be able to read it anyway." Ed looked up. What... was this guy getting metaphoric on him?**

**"What are you talking about?" Ed said, furrowing his eyebrows. The man looked both ways, the typical look of a guy making sure the coast was clear.**

**"Can you keep a secret?" the man asked seriously. Ed nodded. The man nodded back.**

**"Trisha Elric... is not dead," the man said. **

**Part A – End **

**Author's Note:**

**WAAUGH!! (Falling head over heels, crashing into the floor with feet pointing upward). The plot twister begins in Chapter 3! Yeah! Time to pick up speed! We're going to get introduced to a buncha characters really soon, so, if you're slick and quick, see if you can understand who represents who! And this is just a little hint for all of you go-getters that will probably Review or Message me with the answers. The Undertaker doesn't represent anyone. He's a new guy I made up for the sake of pushing the twist forward. But, since I don't really know THAT much of the manga and anime, if he actually DOES represent someone, tell me so I can update my own file where I keep track of this kind of stuff. Anyway, if you're really into this, let me know. I'll try to work on this better, so it doesn't end up all half-cake style. But, anyways, it's actually about 1:09 AM right now, so I'm tired... I'm gonna sleep. Right after starting the first line or two of Part B and seeing if I can add to my Chrono fanfic a bit. But, this is hard. I'm going to be juggling the icebreaking news Ed just received with Sarah and Valentine's day. WAAUGH!! Let's see what happens, yeah? **

**Oh, and just so everyone knows, Rage WILL definitely make another appearance. He's not out of the running yet!! That, and Isis will come back, along with Sim. Hm... who else... Obviously Roy and Lyser Hughes appear, as well as Hughes' wife Grace and Elizabeth. Sarah and Aunt Pricilla come back, duh, and we're going to see from a person that Ed hasn't seen... in a long while. I'll give you a hint:**

**_"I hate his scent. After he left, the house still smelled like him. It never really went away..."_**

**Well, 'till next time!**

**KthnxBye!!**


	10. Chapter 3: The Durability Part B

**Chapter 3: "The Durability of Trust and Love"**

**Part B – Start**

**"Trisha Elric... is not dead," the undertaker whispered. Edward Elric stared at him, his heartbeat stopping in that single instant.**

**"What?" Ed said rising, finally snapping out of it.**

**"Trisha Elric didn't die," the undertaker said. Ed grimaced.**

**"Then what did you bury?" Ed cried. The undertaker looked up, surprised at Ed's interest.**

**"What does it matter what I buried," the undertaker finally said, "I shouldn't have told you this. It's better if you forgot about it." The undertaker started to walk away.**

**"You get the hell back here!" Ed cried. The undertaker waved him away, still walking. Ed grimaced.**

**"You don't walk away from me!" Ed screamed. He then clapped his hands, smacking the earth.**

**The ground rumbled, the undertaker nearly thrown off his feet. He turned to see lightning rise up in columns from the earth, Ed in the center of a rapid growing transmutation circle design. The circle glowed, encompassing the whole cemetery.**

**"What are you doing?!" the undertaker cried. Ed said nothing, as the circle finally finished growing, the whole cemetery starting to glow. In a single instant, the whole graveyard was consumed in light, a tremendous crash of thunder deafening everything.**

**Ed stepped forward to the man. The reaction had been a fake, but still, he had done something.**

**The undertaker gasped beneath the weight of a stone slab that pinned him to the ground. Ed glared at him, kneeling down to talk.**

**"You tell me everything you know about Trisha Elric," Ed said. The undertaker stared at him, and his eyes widened.**

**"You're... you're Trisha's kid," the undertaker said, "the one who tried to bring her back..."**

**"That's damn right," Ed growled, "now you better tell me what the hell you know, or you'll be the one needing a freaking mecha-body for limbs." As he said this, he placed his metal arm on the stone slab, pressing down hard enough that the undertaker winced.**

**"All I know," the undertaker gasped, "is that she's still alive. That's all!" Ed grimaced.**

**"Then what was it that you buried?" Ed asked, "What was it that we had a funeral for? What was it... that I tried to resurrect?" **

**"It... was a doll," the undertaker said, "some guy paid to have a ruined body placed in the coffin. That's all I know. I don't know who it was, I swear." Ed thought about it. A doll... a body that could look like his mother.**

**Only an alchemist could create such a thing.**

**"Is that it?" Ed asked, putting pressure on the slab. The undertaker grimaced, and choked out a few words.**

**"Look for Doctor Ohm... and Doctor Booth," the undertaker said, "they'll tell you what you need to know." Ed clapped his hands, destroying the rock slab. He walked out of the graveyard without looking back.**

**Mother... Ed repeated the word in his mind. Is it true? A possibility?**

**Are you still alive?**

**Part B – End**

**Author's Note:**

**Muahaha! I feel funny. I'm trying to decide what to watch... I might end up watching Fullmetal again, only because I need some inspiration for motivation. I feel drained, and as much as I want my stories done, I just can't seem to find the drive to write them. Sigh... It must be because of my crappy Valentine's week. It sucked. I'm sorry for all of you that DID have a good valentine, but needless to say, mine was catastrophic. Anyways, I hope that this boring part will get over with, so I can get into the cooler parts. Hm... what happens after Ed visits Doctor Ohm and Booth? Maybe he'll run into... oh wait, I know what happens. Never mind. Well, don't want to spoil it... but I will!**

**_"I don't need your help," Ed said without looking at him. The giant of a man sighed, looking down as Lyser and Roy ran away. _**

_**"I didn't think you'd be glad to see me," the man said, "my son."**_

**KthnxBye!**


	11. Chapter 3: The Durability Part C

**Chapter 3: "The Durability of Trust and Love"**

**Part C– Start**

**Alphonse gulped the food down, Sarah and Aunt Pricilla watching in amazement as he devoured the food. He finally put his chopsticks and spoon down, giving a tremendous burp that could have shaken the house to the ground.**

**"That was the best stuff I've ever tasted!" Al exclaimed, closing his eyes in ecstasy as he savored the last bit of flavor as it disappeared of the tip of his tongue. Sarah stood there speechless as he sat up.**

**"Is there more?" Al said expectantly.**

**"There is, but it's for your brother," Aunt Pricilla said, "that is if he's smart enough to know to come here." As she spoke the words the door swung open, Ed trudging through, dragging his feet. He collapsed on the chair, staring blankly at the table in front of him.**

**"Brother, Sarah and Aunt Pricilla made this awesome soup and rice and," Al stopped as he noticed his brother's expression.**

**"Brother, what's wrong?" Al asked. Ed turned to look at all three of them, each one giving a look to Ed as though he was sick.**

**"Al... I just heard that... that..." Ed stammered, not finishing his sentence. Al rose, noticing that this was something important.**

**"What is it?" Al asked.**

**"Mom," Ed said, "she's still alive." A silence filled the air as Ed said the words. Al didn't move, staring him right in the eyes, his pupils dilating in shock a little bit. Sarah held in a gasp, while Aunt Pricilla stared blankly at him.**

**"Edward," Aunt Pricilla began.**

**"I know it sounds–" **

**"I think you need to–"**

**"Will you hear me out?"**

**"-lie down and–"**

**"It's true, why don't you–"**

**"–rest a while-"**

**"I'm not crazy!" Ed roared. The silence filled in again, Ed standing in agitation, his chair knocked over.**

**"I know it sounds impossible, but she's alive! Someone told me so!" Ed shouted.**

**"Ed, think about what you're saying," Sarah said, "Your mom's been gone for years, if she was still alive don't you think she would have–"**

**"I know!" Ed retorted. "But maybe she can't come back here! Maybe someone's stopping her!"**

**"Like who, brother? Who in their right minds would hold mother–"**

**"I don't know Al!" Ed snapped. "She's – She's still alive, and I'm going to find her!" With this Edward stormed out of the room, the door breaking as his metal arm ripped it off the hinges.**

**"So much for a Valentine's day," Sarah whispered to herself.**

**Part C – End**

**Author's Note:**

**Ed's crazy. Right? Of course not, you dim heads! He's right! I think. Maybe. Let's just find out, yeah? I'm typing this in the middle of my class, so I hope the teacher doesn't mind. Whatever, my concern is that all of you who read this tell me what you like and don't like. And also, Alphonse's song is now titled "Forgotten Lullaby," in dedication to Kyasarin-Maarukeehii1 for the idea. The song isn't over, and I'll write a couple of more verses and have it reappear in some other chapter. I dunno which one. Maybe when someone dies. I don't know who though. I have an idea of killing off this one guy... but I really don't want to. Well, I'll ask your guys's opinion when we get to that part. Till then, happy reading!**

**KthnxBye!**

**Preview of Chapter 4**

**Chapter 4: "An Adventure Nobody Should Take"**

_**With these memories we all hold onto life...**_

**Edward flipped through each book he could find. Doctor Ohm... Doctor Ohm... He threw down another book in agitation, sitting back in his chair. He couldn't find a trace of this guy. Maybe Al was right. Was he being duped? **

**Ed grabbed another book, not sure if he'd find anything at all anymore. He stopped, his eye catching a paragraph on the page.**

**"Doctor Haji Ohm. Professional doctor and researcher in the Government. One of the top leading scientist with the involvement of alchemy in the medicine field. Retired to a small town in the west known as Xerixon. Current position is a doctor for the hospital in central Xerixon."**

**Ed ripped the page out of the book. Xerixon. An out of town place, he thought. He remembered passing by there when he was younger, doing missions for Roy. Hmm... Ed made his way toward the train station.**

**This should be an interesting trip.**

**Preview of Chapter 4 – End**


	12. Chapter 4: An Adventure Part A

**Metal Goes Mental**

**Chapter 4: "An Adventure Nobody Should Take"**

_**With these memories we all hold onto life...**_

**Edward flipped through each book he could find. Doctor Ohm... Doctor Ohm... He threw down another book in agitation, sitting back in his chair. He couldn't find a trace of this guy. Maybe Al was right. Was he being duped? **

**Ed grabbed another book, not sure if he'd find anything at all anymore. He stopped, his eye catching a paragraph on the page.**

**"Doctor Haji Ohm. Professional doctor and researcher in the Government. One of the top leading scientist with the involvement of alchemy in the medicine field. Retired to a small town in the west known as Xerixon. Current position is a doctor for the hospital in central Xerixon."**

**Ed ripped the page out of the book. Xerixon. An out of town place, he thought. He remembered passing by there when he was younger, doing missions for Roy. Hmm... Ed made his way toward the train station.**

**This should be an interesting trip.**

**"So Ed thinks his mother is still alive," Roy said. Lyser nodded, standing in front of his desk. **

**"Al told Grace this morning. Apparently someone told Ed that she's still alive," Lyser finished. Roy rested his chin on his hands. This was bad. His mother was a sensitive subject for Ed. If someone told him that she might still be alive, he could walk straight into a trap.**

**"Hughes," Roy said, standing up, "come with me. We'll make sure our killer isn't luring Ed into a place he doesn't want to be." A blonde woman with sharp brown eyes stood up, standing besides Roy. He turned to her, shaking his head.**

**"You stay here Hawkeye," Roy said, "you don't need to come."**

**"I'm sorry sir, but I think that I should – " she began.**

**"Rizelle," Roy said firmly. She closed her mouth, a constraint look on her face. Roy turned to the other two officers in the room.**

**"Bred, Fury, take care of Hawkeye," Roy said. They nodded, Bred a large man with orange-red hair, Fury a small short guy with spiky black hair and thick glasses.**

**Roy walked away, Rizelle reaching out for his hand. He instantly snatched it away, before the two came in contact. He left with Lyser, leaving Hawkeye to solemnly watch him leave.**

**An few hours later they made it to Resin Pool, the two getting off the train. Lyser immediately set out towards the Elric's house, Roy following behind. The quiet town was undisturbed, leaving Roy to wonder what it must've been like on that day four years ago.**

**The day Ed tried to bring his mother back.**

**The two caught a glimpse of a man walking toward them, a short blonde one with a crumpled piece of paper in his hands. Lyser nodded to Roy.**

**"There's Edward," he said. Roy nodded. They waited for him, Ed stopping a couple of feet before the men.**

**"What do you two want?" Ed said harshly. Lyser grinned.**

**"Geeze Ed," he said, "don't have to get angry with us. We just want to talk." Ed glared at him.**

**"Alphonse told you, didn't he?" Ed asked. "And you two think I'm crazy."**

**"That's not what we're thinking Solidsteel," Roy said.**

**"Oh yeah? Then what's with the sudden appearance? You never make house calls unless you want something," Ed said. Roy saw his hands slowly drift towards each other.**

**"That's enough Edward!" Roy shouted, swiftly pulling a glove on. It was too late.**

**Ed clapped his hands.**

**Water rained down on them, Edward rushing past the two. Roy grimaced, his hand wet.**

**"Try to light sparks with that!" Ed retorted as he ran away. And explosion rocked him to the ground, a ton of rubble crashing down towards him.**

**"WAAUGH!" Ed cried. He slammed his glowing hands to the earth, the rocks caught in the reaction. They dissolved to dust, a smokescreen appearing. Ed ran into something, strong arms holding him tight.**

**"Easy now, Ed," Lyser said, dragging him out of the dust. Ed slammed his hands into Hughes. His suit filled with air, turning him into a bouncing balloon. Lyser cried out as he rolled, scraping his head on the asphalt.**

**"Just leave me alone! I know what I'm doing!" Ed shouted. He then froze to the spot.**

**A large circle enveloped the area, an intricate design etching itself out of blue light. Ed watched as the circle finished, the dust becoming stone again, the water Ed had condensed evaporating as well. The circle then faded, the familiar design vanishing.**

**Ed heard footsteps behind him. He frowned as a large man in a brown overcoat stepped besides him, his brownish blonde hair tied back, a beard almost full grown on his chin. His eyes were hidden behind square glasses, his hands in his pockets.**

**"I don't need your help," Ed said without looking at him. The giant of a man sighed, looking down as Lyser and Roy ran away. **

**"I didn't think you'd be glad to see me," the man said, "my son."**

**Part A – End **

**Author's Note:**

**We're back!! Sorry for a late update, didn't get to a computer in time. Anyway, we've met Holbert Elric! I'll bet you can guess who he represents. Well, this note will have to end now, because I've got a few minutes to upload it. **

**KthnxBye!**


	13. Chapter 4: An Adventure Part B

**Chapter 4: "An Adventure Nobody Should Take"**

**Part B– Start**

**"Why did you come here, old man?" Ed said, still not turning around. The man sighed, scratching his head. He sat down, panting as though he had ran a mile. Ed finally turned, crossing his arms.**

**"What's wrong? Don't tell me you're tired again?" Ed asked. The man didn't reply. Slow snores began to issue from his mouth. A temple began to throb in Ed's head.**

**"YOU'RE GONE FOR TWO YEARS AND WHEN YOU FINALLY COME BACK YOU START SLEEPING?!" Ed roared, kicking the man in the gut. He grunted, rolling away. The man scratched his head as he rose.**

**"I'm sorry. It's just that I get worn out easily," the man said, yawning. "Is Pricilla in the same place?" Ed grumbled, nodding. The man started walking toward it, Ed following him.**

**Sarah opened the door, gasping in surprise as the large man walked in. Pricilla said nothing as he sat down on the table, slumping. Predictably, he began to snore.**

**"You haven't changed a bit, Holbert Elric," Pricilla said, "still sleeping in the middle of everything." A bang from above shook the house.**

**"Dad's back?!" Al cried, running down the stairs. He came to the kitchen, the man raising his head.**

**"Alphonse," Holbert said, "you've gotten big." Al smiled, running over to his father. Ed sighed, starting to walk out.**

**"Aren't you going to stay? It's the first time in years you've seen your dad!" Sarah said to him as they walked out.**

**"There's nothing to say! He's the same as ever. Nothing's going to change that," Ed said, "Besides, I've got a train to catch." With that he left, Sarah staring after him as he did so.**

**The train finally clacked to a stop, Edward walking off of it. He sighed. Xerixon. An out of town place, a poor little village used as a checkpoint stop for the train. Edward remembered being here once. He was here for the funeral of Doctor Tim Marcoh. A good man, Ed remembered. He saw him only once, and that was at the hospital. **

**He could only hope Doctor Ohm would provide some more help than Marcoh did.**

**Edward immediately set off, his only luggage a suitcase that was for his mecha-armor. He had found it at his doorstep just before he left.**

**A Valentine's gift from Sarah, no doubt.**

**Ed cringed. The Valentine's day frenzy might finally be over. He trudged through the desolate dirt roads, hoping to reach the middle of Xerixon soon. If not, then he'd have to spend the night on the hills, and he knew for a fact that thieves and bandits roamed the outskirts of the town, trying to steal something to help them make a living.**

**In the meantime, thoughts were buzzing around the inside of Ed's mind. Could mom really be alive? If so, then why would someone swap bodies with her own? And who was it that took her? What for? **

**Ed's iron hand clamped tightly over the handle of his suitcase. To think, his resurrection was merely a...**

**Ed's suitcase dropped. He blinked, and finally turned to his arm. His solid steel arm.**

**"I did it for nothing," Ed whispered, "if mom is alive... then my arm and leg..." He couldn't finish. It was too horrible of a thought. If his mother was indeed still alive, then his sacrifice, this burden he'd carried for four years was worthless. It was pointless.**

**Ed picked his suitcase back up. He grit his teeth, marching on. Someone will pay, he thought. Pay for taking their mother away from them. Pay for causing his sufferings to be for nothing. Pay for stripping away his life.**

**"I don't get it," Al said. Holbert laughed as he sat down next to his son.**

**"It's like this," Holbert said, gazing up at the clouds, "Isis did teach you about the Truths, right?" Al nodded. "Well, then you know that Chi is the inner strength and energy of an alchemist, correct?"**

**Al nodded again. He gazed intently at his father, absorbing every word he said.**

**"Well, you know that for the past years, I've been out researching new uses of the Truths, and on transmutation," Holbert said, "and I've found some interesting things." **

**"Like what?" Al asked.**

**"The Chi in the body can be manipulated," Holbert said, "and its flow and current directed by the alchemist. It takes years and years of trial and error, but it is possible to do it." Al stood up as the nerves connected.**

**"So wait – you control your Chi to flow in a circle, making a transmutation circle!" Al cried out. "That's why you never have to even clap your hands!" Holbert nodded.**

**"But controlling the Chi is the difficult part," Holbert said yawning, "it drains rather quickly, and once you set your Chi flow a certain way, it takes years to undo it."**

**"You're a walking transmutation circle, father!" Al laughed.**

**"Yes I am," Holbert said laughing as well, "and for that reason that my Chi is being used constantly, I am prone to..." Holbert drifted, slumping as snores issued from him. Al sighed, smirking as he sat next to his dad he hadn't seen in two years. It was great whenever he visited, but he knew that the reason he was gone was for his research.**

**Maybe, Al thought, now that I'm older, he'll take me along with him. We could learn stuff together. He could help me learn stuff.**

**Al smiled at these thoughts. The prospect of making memories he never had with his father. **

**He hoped that his dad shared these thoughts too.**

**Part B – End**

**Author's Note:**

**So now we know the key to Holbert's strength. Cool, no? I haven't divulged yet what Style of circle he's got coursing through his body, or where the circle is located on him, but hey, that's for later chapters. Anyways, sorry for the late update. The fact that I can like, throw one of this chapters (or parts of chapters) out a day at a time is incredible for me. Specially since I don't know how I do it. If you read my Chrono Crusade one, you'll see that they're long as hell. Maybe because I'm just doing little bits by bits, around two or three pages long per part. I dunno. Well, I introduced Doctor Marcoh – straight from the manga. He's used as a reference, I just kinda dedicated him into my story. He's there... just because he was one of my favorite characters. Right alongside Hughes, who I've reincarnated as Lyser. Hee hee! Lyser's a bit dorkier than Hughes, but they're still the same charismatic and cool guy! We're getting close to meeting Doctor Ohm – what secrets does he have for Ed once he gets there? Let's find out on the next part!!!**

**KthnxBye!**


	14. Chapter 4: An Adventure Part C

**Chapter 4: "An Adventure Nobody Should Take"**

**Part C– Start**

**Edward stepped inside the white hospital. It was small and craggy, the paint peeling off both outside and inside. People sat in the lobby, loads of people with nurses running around. He sighed. The hospital had fallen in disrepair since Doctor Marcoh died. **

**Ed walked up to the counter, waiting behind a long line. He grimaced. Damn people. The line sluggishly progressed, as did Ed's temper. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.**

**"Damn it!" Ed shouted, bursting through the line. "It's not as if anyone's dying here!" He slammed his hand in front of the desk in front of the attendant.**

**"Listen, I need to speak with Doctor Ohm and Booth, now!" the attendant was speechless, gazing at Ed.**

**"I could help you with that," a voice said. Ed swiveled around, holding his suitcase menacingly.**

**A man in a lab coat stood nearby. He had hazel eyes, and dark skin. His hair was black, his eyebrows thick, and all in all had a good-natured look about him.**

**"And who are you?" Ed growled. The man laughed.**

**"I'm Doctor Haji Ohm," the man said, "what is it that you need?" Ed barged his way over to him, grabbing the man by the collar.**

**"I need to know everything you do about Trisha Elric," Ed said in a low voice. Doctor Ohm's face flashed with surprise, before nodding and pulling his hand away.**

**"Follow me then," Doctor Ohm said, walking down the corridor. Ed shifted his suitcase, following the man. They eventually came into a cramped office, Doctor Ohm closing the door behind him.**

**"Trisha Elric," Doctor Ohm whispered, "that's a name I never expected to hear again."**

**"So you know about her?" Ed accused. The doctor nodded.**

**"Of course. She was one of my patients," Doctor Ohm said, sitting at his table. Ed stared at him. Patients? **

**"What do you mean?" Ed asked. Doctor Ohm sighed.**

**"It was long ago," he said, "but I remember her. An unusual case. I for sure thought she had cancer. An incurable disease." The doctor kneaded his eyes, leaning back.**

**"She was one who we couldn't help," Doctor Ohm stated, "the one who we couldn't give hope to." Ed listened. Help... wait a second.**

**"She was sick," Ed said, "that's what she died from. But... of what?" Doctor Ohm straightened up.**

**"How do you know about Trisha?" Doctor Ohm asked. Ed stared down.**

**"I'm her son," he said, "and four years ago I tried to bring her back." He put his hand on the desk, the man gasping as he saw the steel alloy.**

**"So you can guess why this is very important to me," Ed said. Doctor Ohm gazed at the steel, blinking in disbelief.**

**"Are you... an alchemist?" Doctor Ohm asked. Ed nodded, placing a crumpled paper on the desk.**

**"And from what the books tell me, so are you," Ed said. "So what did you do it for? Couldn't show the government your messed up alchemy project, so you stole my mother instead?" The two rose, Ed in anger, Doctor Ohm in shock.**

**"You believe I took your mother?" Doctor Ohm said, hurt. "I wanted nothing more to do with alchemy after that god forbidden war!" Ed paused.**

**"The Bradley Reign?" Ed asked. "You were in it?" Doctor Ohm nodded. **

**"I was to help the Federal Alchemists use their powers for medicine," Doctor Ohm said, "However, once I learned they didn't feel the need to help our enemies, I left. I ran and hid here. I thought I would never have to ever come across anything that has to do with alchemy ever again." Doctor Ohm sat down.**

**"Well I need some answers," Ed said. Doctor Ohm nodded.**

**"I know you do. But I can't give you as many answers as you need," he said.**

**"Why not?" Ed asked.**

**"Because the doctor that overlooked her at every time possible wasn't me," Doctor Ohm said. "It was my assistant. Doctor Booth."**

**A man with orange hair peeked into the room. He had a light complexion, and in the cold, which it was now, his cheeks and nose turned a rosy red. He was young, around twenty, and still retained a youth like charisma.**

**Ed turned to stare at him. The man said nothing as Ed's gaze burned him up and down. **

**"Yes, sir?" the doctor asked, "Did you call for me?"**

**Part C – End**

**Author's Note:**

**We meet Doctor Haji Ohm and Doctor Howard Booth. Awesome. We might have to extend this chapter, so we can hear all of Booth's story. I hope I won't freak you all out when we discover exactly Booth's entire relation with Trisha. And now that Ed's out looking for his mother... a new enemy will show his ugly face. Well, not ugly. Pretty okay looking. I don't like making my characters ugly unless I ABSOLUTELY have to! Hm... hold on, I think I kind of lost track of things. Darn, I hate keeping the ideas in my head! I forget them always!! Well I hope I haven't lost you dedicated readers, and I dedicate the next chapter to those who R&R. **

**KthnxBye!**


	15. Chapter 4: An Adventure Part D

**Chapter 4: "An Adventure Nobody Should Take"**

**Part D– Start**

**"So you're Doctor Booth," Ed said. The doctor nodded, confused. Doctor Ohm rose, taking Doctor Booth by the shoulder.**

**"Doctor," Ohm said, "you remember the Elric case." Doctor Booth took a step back at the name, and nodded.**

**"Then I need you to tell everything you know to this young man," Doctor Ohm continued, "And I mean EVERYTHING." Doctor Ohm gave a hard look at the younger doctor, who nodded reluctantly. He sighed, sagging his shoulders.**

**"Come on," he said in a tired voice. Ed picked up his suitcase and followed him, making their way to a sunlit infirmary. He sat at an empty cot, putting his head in his hands.**

**"Why do you want to know?" Doctor Booth asked. Ed put his suitcase down.**

**"I'm the one asking questions here," Ed snapped. "and I'll start with this – why was she here?" The doctor gazed up, as if being attacked.**

**"She was in a critical state when she was brought here," Doctor Booth said, "someone found her outside the edges of town. We thought she got attacked by a thief." **

**As the doctor said the words, Ed's mind, once dark and muddled with the details of his mother's death, began to spark to life. Yeah, that explains it. She didn't come home that day.**

**"When we brought her here, we thought it was just a minor assault," the doctor continued, "but further examination brought much more news. She was sick. We suspected some kind of hereditary disease... but it wasn't. It was as if she was poisoned."**

**Ed said nothing, his face stony.**

**"She kept coming here. I asked her where her husband was, and she said he was away," the doctor said. Yeah, his dad had left the year his mother began to get ill. She would take long trips to the train, and sometimes not get home until the morning.**

**"So she was poisoned?" Ed said, snapping into focus. "By what?" The doctor guiltily shrugged.**

**"We didn't know. By the time she was diagnosed with poisoning, it was too late. We could only comfort her departure," he said. **

**Wait, Ed thought, if she was still alive, then why did it seem like... she died?**

**The doctor croaked, putting his head in his hands.**

**"Oh god," he whispered, "my... my precious Trisha... I'm so sorry!" He cringed, breaking down. Ed stared at him. His precious Trisha?**

**"What do you mean, _your_ precious Trisha?" Ed asked, pulling the man up by the collar.**

**"I loved her," the doctor whispered, "and I was so sure... she would've felt the same, if I had only been able to help her."**

**Ed stared at the man. He was in love with his mom? He let him go, Doctor Booth slumping to the floor.**

**So that was it, Ed thought. His mother was poisoned. She really is dead. That undertaker... he lied, but at least took him to the right place.**

**Ed grabbed his briefcase, ignoring the fact that his eyes were burning.**

**Burning with the sting of tears.**

**Part D – End**

**Author's Note:**

**Ugh... I'm sorry guys. I think this chapter sucked, bad on my part. Well, we know that Doctor Booth fell in love with Trisha, but sorry Doc, Holbert's back in town, and he'd rather not hear you say that. But anyways, hopefully on the next chapter we'll meet a new character. Wanna hint? Sure you do!**

**_"So you're the Elric kid, eh?" the man said. He had black clothes on, his jacket having a white ruffled collar, his small eyes hidden by round glasses._**

_**"Yeah, that's right..." Ed said through grit teeth, "and you must be..."**_

_**The man laughed.**_

_**"Call me Greedo," the man said, grinning. Grinning with sharp, sharp teeth."**_

**KthnxBye!**


	16. Chapter 5: The Rust Part A

**Metal Goes Mental**

**Chapter 5: "The Rust That Wears Us Out"**

_**For every light shining, there's a shadow waiting to be born...**_

**"So he left?" Roy asked. Holbert nodded. The two were in front of Aunt Pricilla's house, Holbert leaning against the house, sitting on the grass.**

**"I don't know when he'll be back," Holbert sighed, "I wonder if he'll take a tip from me and never return..." He chuckled, closing his eyes. Deep snores began to sound off. Roy turned around, and caught a glimpse of a blonde head jutting above the stone wall.**

**"Lieutenant Hawkeye," Roy said, "did I not order you to stay at Command?" Rizelle rose, looking down to the ground. Her gun was leveled to the earth, a guilty look on her face.**

**"Yes, sir," she said. Roy crossed his arms, losing his formality.**

**"What'd you do to Bred and Fury," he asked. Rizelle gave a little itty bitty smile.**

**"They're in the closet," she said, "but I made sure that they'd be fine." Roy smirked. "Let's hope they have nothing shocking to tell us when they come out of the closet together," Roy said, smiling. Rizelle smiled too, and was about to grab Roy's hand when he passed by when he swiftly brought his arm out of the way. He glared back down at her, losing his fun charisma.**

**"Don't," he said softly, "you know what'll happen." He walked off, leaving her to follow him behind.**

**A man raised his head, as a man with a blue uniform passed by. His hair was jet black, and behind him a blonde woman in the same kind of uniform passed, her gun leveled at the ground. The man pushed his dark sunglasses up.**

**He clenched his hand, glaring heatedly at the man as he passed, his crimson eyes flashing with hate.**

**"Hello? Oh hey," Alphonse said, leaning on his dresser in the hall, "yeah, I think she did get it. What happened? Oh you should have been there – she screamed him silly then hit him with a pot!" Al laughed along with the little boy on the other line.  
"No, I don't know where he is, Rage," Al said. The little boy on the line sighed.**

**"Aww... I wanted him to reenact it," Rage said, "Oh well. Anyway, Mommy wanted to know how you're going with your research." Al twirled the wire between his gloved finger.**

**"Great," Al said, "tell her I think I'm starting to get the new stuff she taught us." **

**"Oh wait," Rage said. Al heard scuffling on the other side. A trembling but strong voice issued over the phone.**

**"Alphonse?" the voice asked.**

**"Teacher!" Al cried, "Aren't you supposed to be in bed? You can't get out! What if "**

**"It's fine, Alphonse," Isis said, "besides, if something did happen, I have my little cutie pie to go for help, right?" Al heard Rage's "yes!" carry over the wire.**

**"So you're getting the grasp of it?" Isis asked. **

**"Yeah," Al answered.**

**"That's good. How about Edward? How's he doing?" Isis asked. Al paused.**

**"Alphonse? Are you still there?" Isis asked.**

**"Yes, Teacher," Al said, "It's just that... Ed... Ed's... I think he's gone crazy." He muttered the last part, but Isis caught it.**

**"Crazy?" she asked. "How so?"**

**"Well... a few days ago, dad came home. But, the day before that, Ed was shouting about how... mother's still alive. That's what he said," Al told Isis.**

**"He thinks his mother is alive?" Isis said. Al could hear Rage hush, his usual clamoring silenced.**

**"Yes," Al said, "I don't know what got into him. Roy and Hughes tried to calm him down, but they couldn't." Isis said nothing, but Al could hear a few of Rage's whimpers.**

**"I wish I could help you Alphonse," Isis said, "but..."**

**"I know Teacher," Al said, "I'll take care of this one."**

**"Okay," Isis finished, "You be safe, you hear?"**

**"So long as you do," Al replied. Isis gave a laugh that sounded more like a cough.**

**"Don't tell me what to do," Isis remarked. Al smiled, hanging up after he heard the Isis do so.**

**The door opened, a tired Edward walking in. He stumbled up the stairs, tossing his suitcase into the attic. He came down, bypassing Al and crashing through the door to his room, slamming it closed behind him. Al blinked. Not a hello, how are you...**

**"Ed? Is something wrong?" Al asked. Ed didn't reply. Al considered breaking down the door, when he heard his brother's snores. Either he learned Dad's technique all in one day, Al thought, or something bad was troubling him. The only time Ed snored in his sleep was if something was bothering him, and the only way to get away from it was to head to bed and sleep it off.**

**Al backed away. This was something he couldn't help with. If Ed was really crazy, then he'd have to be nice. If it was just a delusion, he'd try to force it from Ed's mind. He didn't like the idea, but if that's what would help Ed, then he'd have to do it.**

**Al went to his own room. He leaned against the wall, and suddenly felt very old. He remembered the things he used to do with his brother. Back when Ed became enlisted as a Federal Alchemist. Even though Ed worked for Roy, Al always came along. Mainly because he needed someone to keep him in check, but also because Ed couldn't go through it alone. It was too tough for either of them to do single-handed.**

**And right now, they were so single-handed with their problems, they were falling apart.**

**Part A – End **

**Author's Note:**

**Okay, Ed's back in Resin Pool. Where does he go from here? Well, we saw Corona (obviously it was him, and if those of you who read it didn't realize it, well, now you know) is back, and still hunting Alchemists. Holbert's back... but it seems like he's just sleeping the last two years off. Darn him!! Wake up!! WAAUGH! Anyways, that preview I gave you last time is (hopefully) coming soon. I don't know how soon, especially since I am stuck at this chapter... Oh, and by the way, this chapter is dedicated to: Kyasarin-Maarukeehii1 and Bar-Okhi. Thanks for R&R! You make it all worthwhile!**

**KthnxBye!**


	17. Chapter 5: The Rust Part B

**Chapter 5: "The Rust That Wears Us Out"**

**Part B– Start**

**Mother's dead. She's gone. The undertaker lied. There's no way she could still be alive. He lied. He was following a nonexistent path. A false hope.**

**Ed blinked, lying on his bed. The mattress gave a squeak as he shifted the weight of his metal arm and leg to the side. He forced his eyes to stay dry. This was the worse thing that could possibly happen. All of this hope... and to be let down. Damn it! God-DAMN!**

**Ed put his coat on. He had to go say sorry. To Aunt Pricilla. To Sarah. Lyser and Roy too. **

**Ed took off. He had checked, and Al was asleep. It was noon, but the clouds filled the air, and made it look gray. The cold breeze also enhanced the desperation Ed felt. He listlessly moved forward, ending up at the yellow house with a grey sign that was Aunt Pricilla's place.**

**Ed stepped inside. The door creaked open, leading into the dining room. He looked around. Was anyone home? A further inspection revealed no, no one was there. He sat in the kitchen, gazing out the window. So much for trying to apologize. **

**It just wasn't fair. Not fair at all.**

**Ed felt a hand on his shoulder.**

**"Pricilla left," Holbert said, sitting next to Ed. Ed said nothing as the giant man sat next to him.**

**"Alphonse said you heard that Trisha was still alive," Holbert said.**

**"I was wrong," Ed said, "that phony undertaker lied to me. I went to Xerixon. Mom did go to the hospital there, but she died, just like we saw her. Sick and ill. Alone without either of us there to help her." Holbert bowed his head.**

**"There... is a way to check whether or not that's true," Holbert said quietly. Ed frowned, gazing at his father.**

**"What do you mean? The undertaker said he buried an empty coffin. To check if that's true we'd have to..." Ed's eyes widened as he realized what his father was suggesting.**

**"Oh god – no! Hell no!" Ed rose, backing away. "You want to bring her body back up? I admit it – I lied! It wasn't true! You can't go digging up graves! Especially – Especially not the grave of the one you weren't even there for a funeral!" Holbert shrugged.**

**"I knew you'd take it this way," Holbert said, "but... when I heard about what you said... I can't lie and say that I didn't feel the same hope. I hoped too that you were right, and Trisha still alive." Holbert sighed. He gazed back at his son.**

**"I could do it for you, if you want," he offered. Ed stared at his father. He believed him? Ed shook his head.**

**"I'm coming too," Ed said.**

**"I don't know what to expect," Ed said. They stood in the cemetery, Holbert's hand running down the tombstone. **

**"Expect only what's predictable," Holbert said, "a good law for physics. Not for alchemy." Holbert sighed. He gazed at the grave.**

**"I am sorry, my dear Trisha," Holbert whispered.**

**The graveyard exploded with light. Just like the day that Ed trapped the undertaker, a design etched itself with blue light on the grass. A circle curled around the grave, lines shooting toward it. The grave became the center, with Holbert in the middle too.**

**Ed watched as a circle around him formed. A Nullification Sphere. This zone would be omitted from the alchemy that was going on. He could see other parts become nullified, like trees and the other graves. He stared on, his father not even moving, but still creating the alchemic reaction.**

**He didn't even need to clap his hands.**

**The ground on Trisha Elric's grave rose. It jutted up, the coffin exposed from the earth. Holbert winced, and the circle died out. Ed waited for the circle to totally fade, then stepped forward. He stood next to the coffin, his father's large hand on the lid.**

**They both nodded. Holbert dug his fingers into the groove of the lid, and pried it open.**

**Ed gasped. He stared forward, before leaning weakly against the coffin. Holbert said nothing, but his jaw set firmly.**

**The coffin was... empty.**

**"He was right," Ed said, "Mom... she's still..."**

**Holbert closed the lid. He clapped his hands, and the coffin dug itself into the ground again. He turned swiftly on his heels, walking away from the grave.**

**"Dad!" Ed yelled. "What-where are you going?" Holbert turned around.**

**"I'm going to find my Trisha," Holbert said hardily. He then walked away, once again leaving Ed alone.**

**Part B – End**

**Author's Note:**

**Hm... so she IS alive, hmm? And boy, Holbert was upset. You could totally tell. Good thing he didn't know about Booth, or else he might've killed him! So yeah. It's... 1:54 AM on a Saturday morning (early, early morning) and I'm still up. I'm trying to write out my Chrono Crusade Fanfic, but I need to be not only in the zone, but I need SLEEP to write it. These little chunks of Metal Goes Mental are quiet easy. I think I've got things back on track. And sorry that I can't upload these chapters on the weekend – I can only use the Internet when I'm at school. Plus, this is a forewarning: I might be delayed with my fanfic, because my friend needs to borrow my USB, and I have all my fanfics on there. So, I'm sorry in advance if that upsets anyone. Which is why I'm trying my hardest to do as many parts and Fanfics as I can before that happens. Shoo... I really want to sleep. My sister just screamed at me to go to bed right now. But I'm gonna go on, just for you faithful readers! This one's for you!**

**KthnxBye!**


	18. Chapter 5: The Rust Part C

**Chapter 5: "The Rust That Wears Us Out"**

**Part C– Start**

**"Dad left?" Al said incredulously. Ed nodded.**

**"It's true, don't you see?" Ed said. "Me and Dad... we went to the grave yard. We checked to see if it was true. The undertaker was right. He buried an empty coffin." Al and Sarah's face took a greenish tinge.**

**"You dug up her grave?" Al cried. **

**"It was empty!" Ed retorted.**

**"But – " Al continued.**

**"That's enough," Aunt Pricilla said, appearing out of nowhere. "I've known your father for years. He's not going to go off for no reason, unless he's seen proof. If he really did leave, then Ed's right." She took a long drag.**

**"And I am sorry Edward," Aunt Pricilla apologized, "but now that this is out in the open, we need to ask ourselves – who would take your mother? And if she was sick, why?" Ed clenched his hand.**

**"I plan to figure that out," Ed said, "I'm leaving to Command tomorrow. I might not be back for a long time." He stood up, Sarah staring at him open mouthed.**

**"I'll be sending my letters to Hughes and Grace," Ed said, "just because I don't want you three to get in trouble. I got a feeling that there's something more going on than there seems to be." Ed walked out, Sarah right behind him.**

**"Wait, Edward!" she cried. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back.**

**"I'm not leaving yet," Ed complained as she twisted his metal arm behind him. It would have hurt if it was real. All that he felt was his shoulder cramp against the metal in his joint.**

**"Why do you always do this? You come in, spend about three minutes explaining that you're leaving, then walk out? Huh? Whatever happen to spending time with us? With me?" she cried. Ed paused. With her?**

**"Sarah?" Ed said, feeling his face turn red. He managed to catch a glimpse of her, to see her face blushed furiously. He yanked his arm free from her.**

**"I do spend time with you," Ed argued, "every time my mecha-body's broken. That's our time." Sarah pouted.**

**"What about those four years you were with Al and Roy, when you said you couldn't wait to get back home? What happened to all those days?" Sarah asked. Ed bowed his head.**

**"Sarah, a lot of stuff's just been dropped on me," he said, "I'm sorry if I seem... rude, or uncaring, but it's just that there's so much going on, that I can't think past that haze." He looked up, to see Sarah's face soften up.**

**"And I promise you, I'll come back, and it'll be just to talk. No maintenance at all. I promise," Ed said, holding out his arm. His metal one.**

**Sarah snatched his real arm, shaking it, interlocking her fingers with his.**

**"You better mean it," Sarah said, looking down at the ground, too embarrassed to look him in the eyes. Ed smiled softly.**

**"Of course I do," he said. He then took his arm back, walking toward the setting sun.**

**"Hello. Oh, it's you," a man said. He leaned back, tilting his head to see some attractive ladies pass him bye. He winked at them, getting a few sly looks right back at him. He grinned, trying as hard as he could to ignore the voice on his phone.**

**"Say what? You want me to do it this time?" The man groaned. "I'm telling you, the guy's a stump. He's not going to tell anyone, and I doubt he still remembers. Slothrin said he looked like a freaking dried up old prune when he checked last time. And that was what, a few months ago?" The man sighed as he heard the voice keep talking to him. He drank down his shot, nodding.**

**"Okay, okay, get off my back. I'll do it. I'm serious. You could even send Vain to check on me, I'll do it. You convinced? No? Too bad," the man hung up. He took another shot, then rose. He put his black jacket on, the covering barely covering his pex, the collar to the jacket white and fluffy. He adjusted his circular black sunglasses, slicking his hair back. He grinned. **

**Before he did what _he_ wanted, he'd do what he himself wanted. And as he caught sight of some more ladies, he knew what that was.**

**The train stopped. Ed yawned. Train rides got him sleepy. Probably because of the rumbling. It was a good thing to lull you to sleep. He stepped out, the busy train station one of the few grand ones that were constructed. He stretched, and walked down and out. He rolled his eyes as he entered the sun-saturated outdoors.**

**"Hiya Ed!" Lyser said, waving his hand. Roy stood there with his arms behind his back, Rizelle standing next to him. Fury and Breda were there as well, an elderly looking man with gray hair and squinty eyes named Falkner next to them, and beside them a red-haired man smoking a cigarette named Hivoc.**

**"Aren't you supposed to be with Grace? I mean, what must Elizabeth think with her father always traveling in between towns, never staying at one place for long?" Ed asked. Lyser smirked.**

**"It's nice for you to worry about me Ed," Hughes said, patting him, "but I'll be fine, and you forget – I get long vacations, so I always make up for it." Ed turned to Roy.**

**"You still think I'm crazy?" Ed asked Roy. The Inferno Sorcerer closed his eyes.**

**"We received a letter this morning," Roy said, "It was addressed to me, telling me not to think you crazy. You have a supporter." He showed Ed the note. Ed shook his head. The words "Holbert Elric" were written at the bottom of the letter.**

**"Damn him," Ed said, "I want to shove my foot so far up his rear right now..." He handed Roy the note back.**

**"So what? You're going to be my little watchdog, to make sure I don't do anything irrational?" Ed asked. Roy shook his head.**

**"No. I need you to do another job for me," Roy said. Ed raised an eyebrow.**

**"And what would that be?" Ed asked.**

**"He's back," Roy said, "and he's after us again." He showed Ed a picture.**

**A picture of a red eyed man with bloodstained hands.**

**Part C – End**

**Chapter 5 – End**

**Author's Note:**

**DAMN YOU ROY!! He's looking for his mom, and you send him off to fight Corona?! Sheesh! You should use your stupid spark glove as toilet paper, and see how flammable methane is! Ooh... well, I hope you're liking the development. I hope. Things should pick up pace. I know, I keep saying that, but I really hope they do! I guess it's because I spend so much time explaining stuff over and over again and stuff. Well... I wonder, does anyone know who the guy on the phone was? I wanna know if you can get it! It's pretty obvious. I think. Here's a hint: try to visualize his clothes, and the way he looks. Well, let's see what happens next time, eh? Oh, and since I'm gonna start directly on Chapter 6 now, no preview, sorry! **

**KthnxBye!**


	19. Chapter 6: Pasts That Shine Part A

**Metal Goes Mental**

**Chapter 6: "Pasts That Shine Brighter Than Aluminum"**

**_The darkness has more depth than the light..._**

**Roy and Ed sat in the planning room. Hawkeye and Falkner were there too, with Bred in Fury's chair. Roy looked through all the pictures Lyser had been able to scrounge up of the man, before jetting back to Resin Pool to be with his wife and daughter.**

**"So you haven't understood why he's after us?" Ed asked. Roy shook his head.**

**"No. But now that he knows what you look like," Roy said, "you'd be the target he'd go after first." It took a while for Ed to register the words.**

**"You want me to be a decoy? Bait?" Ed cried. He heard a click as he rose toward Roy, turning to see Rizelle's hand on her gun. Roy glared at her, forcing her to put the gun back on safety. Roy then turned to Ed.**

**"In a sense, yes," Roy said, "but in a sense, no. He'll come after you, but we'll be right there to catch him."**

**"So I'm bait," Ed said. Bred laughed.**

**"It's your fault for being such a shrimp, Edward," he said. A vein throbbed in Ed's temple, his teeth being grounded down as he grit them.**

**"Fine," Ed said, "but I swear to god, if something bad happens, I'm kicking all of your asses!" He then stomped out, his stomach growling as he left the room. Roy smirked.**

**"Kid's got moxie," Roy said. He turned to Falkner.**

**"You have the preparations ready?" Roy asked. Falkner nodded.**

**"Yes, sir," he replied, "we just need to put Edward into position. Strongarm's got the rest covered." Roy nodded. He dismissed them, Bred and Falkner walking away. Hawkeye stayed behind.**

**"You can go now," Roy said. Rizelle shook her head.**

**"There's nowhere to go," she said. Roy sighed, resting his chin on his hand.**

**"Do we have to go through this everyday?" he asked. "It's a little childish, don't you think? You have a home, Rizelle." She bowed her head.**

**"With all due respect, sir, I'd rather be here," she said. Roy closed his eyes.**

**"I know. But still," he raised his eyes to hers. "Go home. It's not safe."**

**"But sir–" Rizelle interjected.**

**"I wouldn't be doing your father any justice if I kept allowing you to do what you want," Roy said sternly, catching her off guard. She said nothing, closing her mouth. **

**"I promised him something. You have to help me fulfill that promise," Roy said. Rizelle looked back to the ground, and then turned around to leave. She looked back once when Roy wasn't looking.**

**"So... I'm just going to stand here," Ed whispered to the microphone that was attached to him.**

**"That's right," Lyser said, smiling from a safe bunker away from Ed, "just keep those beautiful pearly whites shining, and we'll have our crazy guy run right toward you like a bee to the nest." Ed sighed. He stood in front of a fountain, one of the few water decorations in the inner parts of Command. He sat down on the figure. He'd been waiting for an hour. Lyser had come to visit for a while, relieving Bred and Fury of duty. In the bunker were Lyser and Falkner, Roy and Rizelle watching from a distance, disguised in regular civilian clothing.**

**"Keep it up Solidsteel," Roy said into his comlink, "we'll get this guy, no doubt." Ed scoffed.**

**"If I don't beat the life out of him first," Ed retorted. He then perked up.**

**He could see something glow on top of a roof near him. Blue lightning arced around it, before it finally crashed into dust.**

**"Holy cow – what was that?" Lyser cried out, watching his monitors. "Camera fourteen through twenty are out – what was that? Did a demolition team take that house down without us knowing?"**

**"No," Roy said angrily, "it's our guy. Lyser, evacuate the people. Get them out of here!" Roy ran forward, as a man made his way out of the dust. His black hair was laced with silver, and he wore a yellow jacket above a black shirt and pants. His glasses hid his eyes, but Roy could guess what color they were.**

**Blood red. Two burning coals. Crimson.**

**"Elric, and Mustang," the man said, stopping before the two alchemists, "you must give your payment to god."**

**"Yeah, about that," Ed said, clenching his hands, "there's a little something about priests that I don't really like. It must be the way they talk. That Don Cornello guy – he was a pain in the rear. You remind me a lot of him."**

**"Enough talk Solidsteel," Roy said, "he's not in the mood for your coy remarks." Roy snapped his fingers.**

**Instantly dozens of armed men appeared, surrounding both the alchemists and the newcomer.**

**"We have you surrounded," Roy said, directing his gloved hand at the man, "I suggest that you give up."**

**"I suggest that you die," the man replied. **

**Ed moved back as an explosion took place, predicting Roy's direction. He saw to his shock that the man had predicted it too, a lot better than he had. And it was that reason that he saw the man's lit arm racing toward him.**

**Ed had a flashback. That arm had destroyed his mecha–body when it touched. If it actually hit flesh, what would it do? He didn't want to find out.**

**Ed barely missed the arm, landing on his back. The arm dug into the fountain, the figure vaporizing into dust. Ed rolled out from beneath him, clapping his hands. His arm turned into a blade, and he rushed forward. He slashed, to find that the man had moved at the last minute fast enough to avoid him. **

**The man stepped back, when the bullets sounded off. The men around them fired, and the man disappeared inside the cloud of smoke.**

**Part A – End **

**Author's Note:**

**Hm... Roy promised Rizelle's father something? What? And no, Corona doesn't represent Don Cornello! Just in case you got that line above confused. Wooh... I haven't done a Fullmetal fight scene before. And the one in Chapter One doesn't exactly count. Hm... I'm really... tired. Okay, I'm gonna clock out for tonight. I know what's gonna happen. And if I don't, I'll write it here. Don't worry, it isn't a spoiler – you're probably gonna read the next Part as soon as you finish reading this (if you read my notes anyways.) Well, the battle against Roy and Ed will continue against this strange man, and we'll discover who he is. Plus, once we know who he is, Roy will act "strange" around Rizelle now. I think those are enough clues to leave myself. I always re-read my things, one reason is to proofread, and the second is because when I'm stuck or starting the next part, it's useful to know what I've written before. Okay... it's 3:12 AM and I'm going to bed. Love you all. Especially you, Alice. Okay, I doubt she'll ever read this, unless by some miracle she comes across this story, but I just need a few moments to divulge my heart to the girl I love, mainly because right now, I feel that our friendship is breaking apart, and I don't want that. Alice, you give me purpose, and I'd die a thousand lives if it would be worth it to you. Please, don't push me away. I can't cope with anything on my own. I love you, I love you, I love you. **

**If you could handle that, my god, I give you readers props. But, just so you know, all that stuff WAS TRUE! I do love Alice. But don't worry about it – so long as I got motivation, I'll keep doing Metal Goes Mental. And you all are my motivation, you readers who review! So, I'll keep doing it! Goodnight, and tomorrow morning (which'll be in like, five hours?) I'll keep going on! Man, I think this is the longest chapter I've written – both in author's notes and in content. Eh... yawn... ew, I tasted chicken on that burp. Well, goodnight ya'll!**

**KthnxBye!!**


	20. Chapter 6: Pasts That Shine Part B

**Chapter 6: "Pasts That Shine Brighter Than Aluminum"**

**Part B– Start**

**Ed peered through the smoke. The bullets from the guards surrounding them had all been directed at the man – he wondered if they had killed him. The smoke fell out, and the man stood there, glaring still at Ed and Roy.**

**"He's not even scratched," Ed said. The man grimaced, and slammed his hand into the ground.**

**Ed saw something he hadn't noticed before. He saw a glow beneath the man's jacket as his hand touched the floor, the transmutation starting up. The ground broke, a giant trench starbursting from where the man was, heading for the guards. The ground opened up, creating a miniature earthquake that rocked everyone to their knees.**

**"Let's go, Solidsteel," Roy said, "we can't let him keep doing this over and over." Roy held out his glove, and snapped his fingers.**

**A spark lit from the glove on his hands, hanging suspended in the air. All of a sudden it expanded, a fiery orb flying toward the man. He moved with such speed that Ed had blinked and missed it.**

**Ed grimaced. This guy was strong, fast, and knew what they were going to do. He had so far predicted everyone of their moves. Probably from watching them from a distance without either of them knowing. Not only that, but his alchemy was dangerous. He could reduce things to their basic components with a single touch. Ed flashed through his mind, trying to think of something. What could work?**

**Roy stepped back, his fist shooting forward. It caught the man in the jaw, knocking his glasses off. He stood there stunned, in time for Roy to snap his fingers.**

**A fire expanded around the man, throwing him away. His jacket was charred, and he threw it away.**

**"You're lucky I held myself back," Roy said as the man paused, absorbing the shock and pain from the blast. "Next time I won't be so merciful."**

**"Mercy," the man said, scoffing, "is something you Federal Alchemists know nothing about. All you know is bloodshed and suffering." Roy raised an eyebrow.**

**"And why do you think this?" Roy asked. The man grimaced.**

**"Don't act innocent," the man seethed, "I remember your face. The Inferno Sorcerer." The man's eyes narrowed.**

**"We called you the Fire Devil," the man said, "the Demon of Flames. That's what we called you." Roy stared at the man.**

**"The Fire Devil," Roy repeated, "it can't be. It's not possible..." The man grimaced.**

**"What's he talking about?" Ed asked. A crowd of military and civilians had crowded around, and Ed could catch the bobbing head of a blonde Hawkeye surfing the crowd.**

**"And your teacher," the man continued, "he was the Hell Lord." Roy's eyes glared heatedly at him at the mention of Roy's teacher. Ed had never seen him so angry.**

**"I don't know who you are," Roy said, "but I can guess what the hell you are." Ed saw as the two stared daggers at each other.**

**"Roy! Who is he?" Ed asked.**

**"This man," Roy said quietly, "is one of the people we attacked during the Bradley Reign. The first campaign I took part in. The war on Vishya." The man nodded.**

**"That's right," the man said, "I am the one of the last few Vishyans. My name... is Corona." He pulled on his eyes. Ed and Roy saw his blood-red irises, and another thing. The veins that reached from the ends of each eye didn't branch off as a normal vein. They circled around the iris, with little designs pulsing as his eyes began to go bloodshot. **

**"His eyes... are transmutation circles?" Ed cried in shock. Roy nodded.**

**"The Vishyans were nomadic alchemists from the north," Roy said, "they knew more about Alchemy than Eritth did when we started the war. They're practically built for transmuting." The man said nothing as he listened to Roy's explanation.**

**"This guy," Ed said, as his hand began to glow, "does he have any weakness?" **

**"Not that I know of Solidsteel," Roy said, as Corona ran forward. He avoided his arm, and tried to snap his fingers. **

**Corona turned to Roy, and opened his bloodshot eyes wide.**

**The glove on Roy's hand tore, disintegrating. Roy stared as the red of Corona's eyes died out, his hand rushing forward, seconds away from clamping over his head.**

**Part B – End**

**Author's Note:**

**I hate to end it like that, but, I need to change the part, since it's reaching its size limit. I wait for the thing to reach around two to three pages... and I think this is one and half, but that counts as two! Anyways – Corona! He's got Transmutation Vision! Awesome!! But the only thing is that his eyes can perform MINOR alchemy. For the big guns, he resorts to his arm. We still need to find out his strength. Yeah, he's a Vishyan, but that doesn't let him just transmute out of nowhere. Although, very skilled Vishyan's usually go through a ceremony that allows them to tune their body so that it is a living circle, almost like Holbert's technique with the Chi flow. The only difference is that they not only adjust their Chi flow, but also PHYSICALLY conform their body, sort of like the veins in Corona's eyes. Just so you know, Corona was born with those eyes. It's natural, and also part of his curse... but I'm getting ahead of myself! I've got another half of a chapter to write, and I can't reveal it in the author notes!**

**KthnxBye!**


	21. Chapter 6: Pasts That Shine Part C

**Chapter 6: "Pasts That Shine Brighter Than Aluminum"**

**Part C– Start**

**Corona's hand reached forward, seconds away from touching Roy.**

**His hand suddenly jolted, a bullet flying past it. He recoiled, leaping back, turning to see who it was.**

**Hawkeye glared at him from the top of her gun, the barrel leveled at his head.**

**"Hawkeye, stand down, that's an order!" Roy shouted. Rizelle shook her head.**

**"I have to disobey that one, sir," she replied, glaring at Corona. Her hand trembled as she glared at the Vishyan.**

**"Hawkeye damn it! You heard what he is! Get the hell out of here!" Roy roared. **

**"I'm not leaving you!" she screamed. Roy flinched.**

**"You can't protect me all the time," she said, "I'm here to protect you too."**

**Corona glared at her. His eyes were sore from the transmutation, so he didn't bother to try to transmute anything. That, and his eyes couldn't deconstruct anything as complex as a gun.**

**"What does it matter what Corona is?" Ed asked. "What does that have to do with " Roy's hand hovered over Ed's mouth, quieting him.**

**"Hawkeye, I order you to stand down. I'll take your stripes for this," Roy threatened. Rizelle stared onward, disregarding him.**

**"I have no interest in you," Corona said, rising. "Leave. I don't want to kill you. But I will if I have to." His black shirt caught the wind, flaring a bit. A few silver hairs dangled in front of his face.**

**"I have interest in you," Hawkeye said darkly, "and I have a little revenge planned out myself." Roy grimaced, useless without his glove. He could only stand and watch as Rizelle and Corona glared at each other.**

**"And what is that?" Corona asked, stiffening.**

**"The Hell Lord," Rizelle said, "the alchemist you tortured to death..." Corona's eyes widened as Rizelle spoke the words. **

**"He was my father!" Rizelle cried.**

**Ed stared at the two. Rizelle's dad was killed in the Vishyan War? And wasn't the Hell Lord also Roy's teacher? So...**

**The nerves connected, and Ed gasped. **

**"You promised... you promised him you'd protect Rizelle?" Ed asked Roy, understanding. That's why there were always together. Why Roy was always worried about her.**

**"Rizelle!" Roy screamed. The man rushed forward, and for the first time, Ed noticed something about the man. He had tattoos all over his body. Transmutation circles inked into his skin. His arm lit up with light, a few of the inked in circles glowing. His hand reached forward.**

**To Hawkeye.**

**Rizelle moved, the man's hand grabbing the end of her jacket. The fabric lit up, unraveling thread by thread. The jacket fell apart, Corona's hand ripping the back of her shirt too. Everyone gasped as Rizelle fell to her knees, Corona sidestepping away from her.**

**On Hawkeye's back was an intricate circle. Ed noticed the designs etched on them. They didn't look like a regular circle. The markings were weird, occult and seemed more like symbols than instructions. The designs were more artistic, not solid and significant. Hawkeye turned to see her back exposed, clutching the inked in circle.**

**"She's got a circle on her?" Ed whispered. Roy ran forward, standing between Corona and Rizelle.**

**"That circle," Corona said, "the Cursed Circle. The mark of death..."**

**"Made by the Vishyans," Roy finished. He pulled his jacket off, putting it on Rizelle's shoulders. She gazed up as he grabbed her gun, pointing it at Corona.**

**"She should be dead," Corona said, "anyone branded by the Cursed Circle shouldn't survive!" Roy's hand was steady, but Ed could see that he was trembling.**

**"That's where you're wrong," Roy said. Everyone hung on his words, a weird silence settling in.**

**"Back in the Vishya War, I was assigned to Major General Lawrence Hawkeye's division," Roy said, "Back then, I was still learning. I was a Federal Alchemist under his jurisdiction. He... was a great man." Corona did nothing as Roy kept talking.**

**"When we raided the center of the Vishya territory, they swarmed our division. Lawrence was taken by the Vishyans. Tortured, over and over, so that he would side with them, and go against Eritth. He refused, and they left him to die," Roy said.**

**"I found him, too late. He was still alive, but I couldn't do anything. He grabbed me, and told me to promise him one thing." Roy shut his eyes as he recalled the memory.**

**"He made me promise to protect his only family," he said, "his daughter Rizelle Hawkeye." Rizelle said nothing, but pulled Roy's jacket closer on her.**

**"When I ran back to camp, I found that she was taken. She was kidnapped," Roy said, "I had already broken the promise I made. I tracked the bastards down, and saved her. Not before, however... not before they had put that curse on her back." Roy cocked the gun.**

**"She could have died," Roy said, "and you're the closest thing to revenge we will ever have." Ed noticed Roy had said we. **

**The gunshot fired, and Ed saw a spark fly as the bullet shot out of the muzzle. Corona had moved, the bullet missing him. But the spark hung in the air, slowly fizzling.**

**A flash of blinding orange and red knocked Ed back, and everyone else around. The enormous fireball that Roy conjured up consumed Corona, leaving a smoldering crater.**

**Roy blinked.**

**The charred earth erupted, a hurt but still living Corona leaping out of the ditch. He clenched his hand, his palm crackling.**

**"Then let me put the final touches to the seal," Corona said.**

**Roy kicked him, the two brawling in the place. A large man with built muscles came forward and pulled Rizelle back, as Corona's hand nearly touched her.**

**"Stop it!" Roy shouted, "If an alchemist touches her, then the circle will activate! She'll get hurt!" Corona nodded.**

**"But did you know that if a Vishyan touches it, the circle will be completed?" Corona asked. From the look Roy had, he did know that. "Then, she _will_ die."**

**Part C – End**

**Author's Note:**

**Hm... so now we know Roy's and Hawkeye's relationship. But, Roy can't touch her. Which explains why he always pulls away. But, does he WANT to pull away? Oh Roy, do you have something to tell Rizelle? Like... oh I dunno... "I love you?" Do you? Well, that idiot's still fighting Corona, so we'll see what happens. Oh, and about the guy in the last chapter, was it? I think so. Well, I wonder if anyone got it... just so you know, it's Saturday, and I haven't uploaded all that I've written, so I don't know about your reviews yet. Don't worry though – once I do read them, I'll be sure to take note of it.**

**The chapter's close to ending, so let's see what comes next!**

**KthnxBye!**


	22. Chapter 6: Pasts That Shine Part D

**Chapter 6: "Pasts That Shine Brighter Than Aluminum"**

**Part D– Start**

**Ed butted Roy out of the way. He had to protect Rizelle. Ed had nothing to lose. He turned to an astonished Roy, holding his bladed arm.**

**"You've got something to do," Ed said. He turned back to Corona, who was glaring at him with his bloodshot eyes.**

**"There's one thing I don't get," Ed said, "why are you going after all these other guys for, instead of the ones who started the war? I wasn't even in it!" Corona grimaced.**

**"Because you decided to uphold their legacy!" Corona retorted.**

**"I'm not upholding anyone's legacy except my own," Ed shouted. **

**"I know about legacy," Corona said darkly, "I inherited these cursed eyes from my family. Everything I looked at was in danger. Those around me never wanted to be with me, they always called me devil and a demon." Corona's eyes glowed slightly as he recalled his cursed past. The one that made him hate being who he was.**

**"After the war, I swore to avenge everyone who had died," he continued, "and show them that some curses aren't meant to be shunned away."**

**They rushed forward, Ed's arm reverting to normal. He clapped his hands, as the tattoos on Corona's arm glowed.**

**The world exploded with light, blinding the surrounding people and Roy. He put his arm up to shield his eyes, blinking them to get his vision back. He turned to see Corona crouched, Ed in the same position facing away from him.**

**Ed's arm exploded, the screws and bits spraying on the floor. Corona lifted himself up, a gasping Edward clutching his empty shoulder.**

**"You... took them off," Corona said. He glanced down at his body. A black liquid was dripping off of his skin. The tattoos melted off, dripping onto the ground.**

**"I removed the extra pigments in your skin cells," Ed gasped, "to remove your tattoos. You're useless now, and your eyes can't deconstruct anything that's more complex than a simple glove." Corona glared at Ed, who got to his knees shaking.**

**"We've got you now," Ed finished.**

**"Not quite," Corona said, "I vowed to revenge my people. You won't get me until my promise is finished." He picked up his glasses, covering his eyes.**

**"You will see me again, Solidsteel Magician," Corona said. He turned around, running so fast and swift that no one had the impulse to even stop him. Ed fell to his knees, the sky pouring down rain on them.**

**"Take Rizelle to the infirmary," Roy instructed as Lyser and Strongarm appeared, "and take Ed too." He watched as Falkner hoisted Ed's arm onto his shoulder, enabling him to lean a bit on his side. Ed tentatively scratched a little circle on the ground, touching the earth.**

**As he expected, the circle glowed red. A little cut appeared, a drop of blood dripping onto the rebounding circle, washing the design away, stifling the rebound.**

**"How is he?" Holbert asked as Ed slept soundly in a cot. Roy leaned against the wall.**

**"He'll be fine," he said, "until he wakes up. I suppose Sarah will kill him for destroying his arm." Holbert chuckled. Roy lifted an eyebrow.**

**"I have a question," Roy said. Holbert lifted his head to him.**

**"About what?" he asked. **

**"Your letter," Roy said, "your wife is dead. Why do you think your son is still sane, when he thinks she is alive?" Holbert sighed.**

**"Because she is," he answered, "everything so far that Ed has told me matches up. The trips out of town to Xerixon, the slow illness, and even the empty coffin." Roy gasped, straightening.**

**"An empty coffin?" Roy said. "You exhumed the body?"**

**"Correction," Holbert said, rising, "there was no body to be exhumed." He turned to the other side, to see a sleeping Rizelle in a different cot. He caught a glimpse of a tattoo between the bandages on her back.**

**"There's no way to remove it, is there?" Holbert asked. Roy shook his head.**

**"If an alchemist touches it, it activates and she starts coughing up blood as it tears at her organs," Roy said solemnly, "if a Vishyan touches it, the circle lights up even more and explodes her insides. Any amount of alchemic energy that touches her turns the circle on."**

**"I am sorry," Holbert said, "but I need you to promise me something Mustang."**

**"And what is that?" Roy asked.**

**"Support my son as much as you can," Holbert said, stepping out, "support him as much as he has supported you." He left on swift heels.**

**Roy sat down in the chair between the two cots. He put his head in his hands. Corona got away. Ed was looking for his supposed still-living mother. Rizelle came close to dying. He gazed at her sleeping body. Her hair was let down, the golden strands cascading down her face. **

**He placed his glove gingerly on her bandaged cheek. Nothing happened. He blinked, and slowly, carefully, pressed his lips on the bandage.**

**"Sleep tight," he whispered as he left.**

**Part D – End**

**Chapter 6 – End**

**Author's Note:**

**Who knew Roy was so romantic? Bwahaha! I couldn't pass up doing a little mushy-mushy scene. It was SO tempting! Now we need to get Sarah and Ed cornered... hee hee hee! I'm such an evil matchmaker! Ed's going home. Darn, everytime he leaves home, he does it only to come back. Well, I have to bring Ed home, because that's when the next important and possibly plot-twisting event occurs. Ooh... and in Chapter SEVEN, of all chapters! Hee hee... I bet you can guess what's coming up next! I'm not giving out anymore clues! And sorry, no preview either this time!!! You're just going to have to wait! It's too good of a chapter to even give you a taste. I want you suspicious, so you can savor it all the more when you read it! **

**KthnxBye!**


	23. Chapter 7: The First Part A

**Metal Goes Mental**

**Chapter 7: "The First of Seven"**

"_**We're all Sinners too..."**_

**"I thought you said no maintenance," Sarah grumbled as she screwed another plate into the mecha-body. Edward was strapped in the bed, biting forcefully down on a gag. He winced, not replying. **

**"Okay, sorry about this," Sarah said, grabbing two cords. She then put them together, shoving the plug of the mecha-body into the outlet of the shoulder.**

**Ed screamed, biting so hard on the wood block in his mouth that it splintered. His hands clenched the sheets, and he slowly came back down to a normal respiration pace. Sweat dropped off his forehead, running down his face.**

**"Thanks," he gasped. He let Aunt Pricilla undo the straps that held him down, to keep him from struggling.**

**"Maybe that'll teach you to take care of our handiwork," Aunt Pricilla said gruffly through her pipe. Ed didn't reply, too exhausted to do anything but sit up and breathe.**

**"So how did it go?" Aunt Pricilla asked.**

**"How'd what go?" Ed said. **

**"Your search," she finished, "you came back pretty quick. Did you find Trisha that fast?" Ed grimaced.**

**"Ha ha old hag," Ed grumbled, precariously getting to his feet. "If I did I wouldn't need you two to help me out." He limped out of the room, in time to avoid Aunt Pricilla's anger.**

**"How'd it go?" Al asked, sitting at the table. Plates and plates once laden with food were stacked next to him. He was digging into his seventh bowl of rice and ramen.**

**"Why's everyone asking me that?" Ed asked irritated. He plopped down, in only his boxers. He grabbed a bowl of food, and began to munch on it.**

**"Because, we wanna know if you're..." Al trailed off as he caught himself.**

**"If I'm crazy or not?" Ed said sharply. Al sheepishly nodded. Ed rose, heading to the room he had just left, dressing himself. He passed by the table, taking with him a bowl of rice.**

**"I'll bring you proof!" Ed shouted, food still in his mouth. He then left.**

**The day had quickly turned to night. Ed shivered. His brown jacket sucked at insulation. Maybe he should get a new wardrobe.**

**"Yeah, if I had the money," Ed said aloud. He passed by a clothing shop as he said so, and saw someone leave it.**

**He had jet black spiky hair, and wore circular sunglasses that hid his sharp eyes. His jacket had a white tuft collar, and stopped in the middle of his body. He sighed, walking past Ed, disregarding him. Ed stared at him as he walked forward. This road led down to only a few grimy apartments... and the cemetery.**

**Ed watched him in wonder. The man didn't stop at the apartments, and continued on.**

**Ed stiffened. He could guess where this man was heading. **

**Ed took off, trailing sneakily behind the man.**

**Ed grumbled. He had lost track of him. He had an idea of where he was headed, though. The cemetery was the only thing to go to out here. The rest was the badlands, almost as bad as the outskirts of Xerixon.**

**Ed crept closer, and to his surprise he heard yelling. He paused, and once he had decided that the speaker wasn't talking to him, he crept further.**

**"You did what?!" he could hear the person roar.**

**"I-I didn't think that it'd be a problem..." a weak voice replied. Ed paused. That was the undertaker's voice.**

**"You know what he's gonna do?" the first person growled darkly. He heard the undertaker struggle.**

**"Who did you tell it to?" the first man asked.**

**"The... Elric kid," the undertaker gasped, "the one with mecha-bodies..." Ed felt his blood run cold. Oh no. This wasn't good.**

**He heard the feeble chokes of the undertaker, and a thud hit the ground. The sounds of wiping hands interrupted the eerie and murky silence.**

**"The Elric's son..." he muttered, "the fool. Out of all the people to tell." Ed heard the footsteps go toward him, and panicked. He hid in the bushes, in time to see the man with the circle sunglasses walk by, his hands stained with some liquid.**

**Some dark, thick red liquid.**

**Ed grimaced. There'd be no point to check the undertaker. He knew what had happened. Ed waited until the man had left the cemetery, then ran towards him.**

**Here we go, he thought.**

**Part A – End**

**Author's Notes:**

**Whoa, sorry everyone. My friend's using by USB, so there's no way I can work on these things at home. So I'm typing here, right in the middle of class. I'm hungry and a little midget is attacking me. Sigh... I got pink gel in my hair!! It's friggin awesome. Anyways, now that Chapter 7 is here, we can meet some new people. Hee hee... Ooh, I can't WAIT to finish this chapter. Totally cool stuff will happen now. Well, I've gotta finish my work. Damn pointless Powerpoint projects. **

**KthnxBye!**


	24. Chapter 7: The First Part B

**Chapter 7: "The First of Seven"**

**Part B – Start **

**Ed caught up to the man. He stopped right behind him, both of his hands clenched tightly.**

**"Hey you!" Ed called out. The man slowed down, turning around casually, his eyebrow raised.**

**"Huh? Who're you? The spokesperson for the shrimp company?" he asked. Ed flinched.**

**"You're gonna pay for the midget remark," Ed growled, "but that's not the point. You know what happened to Trisha Elric, don't you?" The man stopped, and turned completely around, his hands on his hips.**

**"How would you know about Trisha Elric?" he asked slowly. Ed saw his eyes as the man leered. The pupils... were slit.**

**Ed took a step back. The man looked him up and down, then gave a wicked smile.**

**"So you're the Elric kid, eh?" the man said. He had black clothes on, his jacket having a white ruffled collar, his small eyes hidden by round glasses.**

"**Yeah, that's right..." Ed said through grit teeth, "and you must be..."**

**The man laughed.**

**"Call me Greedo," the man said, grinning. Grinning with sharp, sharp teeth.**

**"And you're the one who kidnapped my mother, and buried an empty coffin!" Ed accused. The man snorted.**

**"Don't get me mixed up kid," the man said, "I ain't that ugly butt Slothrin. I got charm and charisma." Ed pulled his sleeve back on his mecha-body.**

**"Don't you give me that you little,-" Ed swore. "You tell me where my mother is!"**

**"And if I don't, what are you going to do about it?" the man leered. He grinned, cracking his fingers.**

**"Let me see how strong the son of Trisha Elric is," he said, "I wanna see if he's up to scratch."**

**Ed moved as soon as he saw him move. He dodged to the side, and to his utter surprise, found the man right next to him.**

**"Oops," the man commented as Ed hit the side of the building, "guess I'm too quick for you." Ed grimaced, clutching his gut as he peeled himself off the wall of the building.**

**"No, you're just too stupid," Ed retorted. He slammed his glowing hands into the ground, the earth shooting forward, perfectly impaling him into the gut.**

**"Got ya," Ed grinned. The man coughed, his hands holding the sharp jagged rock that was puncturing his stomach.**

**"Thanks, I needed some of this," he said, "now I don't have to get it myself." Ed blinked. What?**

**A flash of light blinded Ed, tendrils of electricity running along the punctured earth and the man's wound. Ed shielded his eyes, and saw something he couldn't believe.**

**The earth slowly inched toward the man, spreading out over his body. The lightning ran along the earth, until it faded inside the man's body. He shook himself off, totally unharmed.**

**"Let's see... ah, this should do the trick," he said. He then stuck his hand out, and a blade seeped out of his hand. A blade of rock.**

**"What... the hell?" Ed whispered. As he watched him, the man named Greedo put his hand onto a nearby aluminum trashcan, and once again the alchemic reaction took place, the metal being absorbed into his body.**

**"You can absorb material into your own body," Ed said. Greedo nodded, the metal reappearing as plated armor on his chest.**

**"That's right," the man said, "I want it all. Everything I can get. I'll take everything I can take, and use it for myself!"**

**"What are you?" Ed cried. The man smirked.**

**"I am a Sin," he responded.**

**Part B – End**

**Author's Notes:**

**Shoot... I've got so much stuff going on right now, it's a relief to get away from it all by writing this. So obviously we've met Greed. Slight name change, but so will all the other "Sins," which are of course the Homunculi. I hope you all aren't disappointed in my lateness. **

**KthnxBye!**


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